Definition of Positive-strand RNA virus

Positive-strand RNA virus:A positive-strand RNA virus, often called a plus-strand virus, carries its genetic material as a single strand of RNA. This strand is considered the positive or sense strand, as it directly encodes mRNA (messenger RNA) and proteins. The replication process in these viruses involves creating a negative-strand intermediate. Some examples of positive-strand RNA viruses are the poliovirus, Coxsackie virus, and echovirus.There are two main categories of RNA viruses. Some are classified as positive-strand because their RNA serves as a "sense" strand, containing the coded instructions for protein synthesis. In contrast, other RNA viruses are negative-strand, meaning their RNA is an "antisense" strand, essentially the complementary opposite of the coded information. This distinction separates positive-strand or sense-strand RNA viruses from negative-strand or antisense-strand RNA viruses. See also: [additional information].

Medical Definition & Meaning