Classification & Properties of Viruses MCQ Quiz | Virology

Welcome to this specialized multiple-choice quiz on the Classification and Properties of Viruses, designed for MBBS students. This quiz will test your foundational knowledge in virology, covering essential concepts such as the Baltimore classification system, viral structure, symmetry, and the unique properties that define viruses as obligate intracellular parasites. You will encounter questions on viral replication cycles, nomenclature, and the distinction between viruses, viroids, and prions. This assessment consists of 25 carefully curated questions to help you revise and consolidate your understanding. After submitting your answers, you will receive your score and see the correct answers highlighted. For your future reference and study, you can download all the questions and their correct answers in a PDF format.

1. What is the fundamental basis of the Baltimore classification system for viruses?

2. Which type of viral symmetry is characterized by a hollow, cylindrical structure formed by capsomeres arranged in a spiral?

3. Poxviruses are a notable example of which type of viral symmetry?

4. The viral envelope is typically derived from which cellular structure?

5. Which of the following is NOT a general property of viruses?

6. A virus that specifically infects bacteria is known as a:

7. Which Baltimore class includes double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses like Herpesviruses and Adenoviruses?

8. Retroviruses, such as HIV, belong to which Baltimore class and are characterized by the presence of reverse transcriptase?

9. The protein shell that encloses the viral nucleic acid is called the:

10. The individual protein subunits that make up the capsid are called:

11. Which of the following statements about prions is true?

12. A complete, infectious viral particle is referred to as a:

13. The stage of the viral replication cycle where the viral genome is released from the capsid into the host cell cytoplasm is called:

14. Which family of viruses is characterized by a segmented, negative-sense single-stranded RNA genome?

15. What is the primary function of viral surface glycoproteins, often called “spikes” or “peplomers”?

16. The lysogenic cycle of a bacteriophage is characterized by:

17. Viroids, which cause diseases in plants, are composed solely of:

18. A positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus (Baltimore Class IV) has a genome that:

19. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) classifies viruses based primarily on:

20. Which of the following is an example of a non-enveloped (naked) virus?

21. The term “eclipse period” in the viral growth curve refers to the time when:

22. Parvoviruses are unique among DNA viruses because their genome is:

23. Rotaviruses, a common cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants, possess a genome made of:

24. The process by which most enveloped viruses are released from the host cell is typically:

25. What is a “provirus”?