enveloped viruses

Viruses having an outer envelope consisting of lipids and integral viral envelope proteins. The distinct feature in the classification of viruses into enveloped  and non-enveloped viruses is the presence of a lipid envelope.

Thanks to their lipid envelope the viruses possess advantages, for example, regarding reproduction in the host organism, as their envelope proteins let them mimic the host organism’s proteins and are thus no longer recognised as foreign by the immune system.

On the other hand, the lipid envelope of these viruses offers disinfectants a more targeted contact surface than is the case with non-enveloped viruses since the destruction of the lipid membrane damages the virus cell so that it dies.

Enveloped viruses include influenza viruses and coronaviruses, as well as the blood-borne pathogens HIV (human immunodeficiency viruses), HCV (hepatitis C viruses) and HBV (hepatitis B viruses).

Disinfectants that can kill enveloped viruses have the efficacy spectrum “virucidal against enveloped viruses “, “limited spectrum of virucidal activity “ or “virucidal“.

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