Question

Latency is a key adaptation in some animal viruses and likely evolved to prolong the infection by avoiding a strong immune response. Which of the following types of viruses would you expect to require long periods of latency?

Select one:

a. Viruses that require a long time for assembling into complex structures

b. Viruses that require a long time for transmission to new host organisms

c. Viruses that have large genomes and require a long time for replication

d. Viruses that infect cells of the immune system

Answer 1

Latency is a period during which a virus remains dormant in the individuals body. The latency period is the period between which one organism that is infected by a pathogen becomes capable enough to infect other individuals as well. So, long latency period is for those viruses that require long time for transmission to new organisms.

Hence, the correct option is (b)

About the incorrect options-

(a) It has nothing to do with latency period.

(c) It means virus has long incubation period, but not long latency period.

(d) Viruses generally infect immune cells.

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