Microbiology Assignment

By: Ita Ayu Wandini (100210103022)

BIOLOGY EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTEMENT MATHEMATHIC AND SCIENCE EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION JEMBER UNIVERSITY 2012

Question

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

What the general characeristics of viruses ? How the classification of viruses ? How the Bacteriophage and Animal viruses replicate ? What is teratogenic? And how viruses act teratogenic ? What are the properties of viruses like agent virions and viriod ? How do viruses cause cancer ?

Answer

1)

General Characteristics of viruses

Viruses hold a unique classification in the world of microbiology. They are organisms which are not based on a cellular structure. There is much debate over whether a virus is truly alive or not, however there is no doubt that they are fascinating and tremendously important to modern medical science. Viruses are subcellular organisms are very small because of its size, can only be seen using electron microscopy. Size is smaller than bacteria, so the virus can not be filtered by bacterial filter. The smallest virus is 20 nm in diameter (smaller than a ribosome), whereas even the largest of the virus hard to see with the light microscope. Viruses have both an extacellular and an intracellular state. In the exracellular state, a virus is a submicroscopic particle containing nucleic acid suruonded by protein and occasionally containing other macromolecullar component. In this extracellular state, the virus particle, also called virion, is metabolically inert and dose not carried out respiratory or biosynthetic function. The virion is the structure by which the virus genom is carried from the cell in which is has been produce to another cell where tha viral nucleic acid can be introduce. Once, the intracellular state is initiated. In the intacellular stat, viruses replication accurs. The virus genom is produce and the component that make the virus coat are synthesized. When a virus a genom is introduced into a host cell and reproduces, the process is called infection. A cell that can infect and in which it can replicate, is called a host (Madigan, et al : 1997). Viruses particle or virion are often describe as ultramicroscopic structure.

They use this ot this term to draw attention to the fact that they are smaller then most structure that might be regarded. Almost all virus particle are so small that they can be examined only in an electron microscope. All virus particle are smaller than 200nm in their longest dimension.

Some viruses can be cristalized Many, but not all, virus particles can be obtained in a crystaline or paracrystaline. The abiliy to form this type of crystal is confined to the smallest type of virus particle which have the simplest construction (Trevor, et al : 1995) Shapes of virus particles Virus particle can be divided into three main types according to their morphology and architecture. a) Filamentous b) Isomeric This particle are roughly spherical,but not quite perfect spheres. c) Complex morphology This type of particle construction is far more complicated than that found in the majority of viruses. The shapes of these virus particles seen in the electron microscope are determined by the structural protein shell,most usually referred to as the capsid.In TMV, the capsid is costructed from many identical molecules of a single protein called the coat protein. Viral genetic information The virus particle normally carries the viral genetic information inside it and so the capsid might be regarded as a protective structure.The viral genome,as it is called, carries all the viral genes necessary for construction of the capsid proteins and the replication of the virus.These viral genes products are described as virusspecific proteins.A special feature of the viruses is that this information is not always encoded in DNA,as it is in every other kind of organism,but can be of

RNA (but never both together).The combined structure of capsid and the viral genome (DNA or RNA) is described as the nucleocapsid.

Virus particles are stable structures The majority of virus particles are relatively stable structures.This means that they can persist in the environtment without breaking down and retain the important property of being able to infect new hosts cell,in other words they retain their infectivity. Viruses are parasities An important feature that sets the viruses apart from almost all the other bacteria, fungi and protozoa is the fact that they are all obligate intaracellular parasities and,such, can multiply only inside living host cells.However,what is special about the viruses is that no matter how complex a cocktail of nutrients is provided,the virus particles will not multiply in any cell-free medium. Anatomy Structure of Viruses Although the virus has a variety of sizes and shapes, they have the same structure motif, which is as follows. Capsid Capsid is a layer of wrapping DNA or RNA, the capsid can be helical (rod), for example, the mosaic virus, there is a form of polihedral the adenovirus virus, or other more complex shapes. The most complex capsid viruses found in Bbakteriofaga (Faga). Faga who first studied include seven Faga that infects the bacterium Escherichia coli, seven are named Faga type 1 (T1), type 2 (T2), type 3 (T3) and so on according to the order of discovery. Capsomeres Capsomeres is a subunit-subunit protein with a number of types of proteins that are usually a little, will combine to form a capsid capsomeres, such as tobacco mosaic virus, which has a helical capsid (rod) is rigid and is composed of a thousand capsomeres, but of only one type of protein. Additional structures Additional structures, namely the viral envelope that surrounds the capsid and serve to infect its host. The sheath is composed of phospholipids and proteins and host cell proteins and glycoproteins from the virus itself. Not

all viruses possess an additional structure, there are some who have it, such as influenza virus. Incidentally Faga type which is found even (T2, T4 and T6) are similar in structure, ie kapsidnya have elongated heads that envelops iksohedral DNA and other auxiliary structures, namely the head is attached to the tail protein iksohedral with tail fibers are used to attach in a bacterium.

2)

Virus classification is based on the type of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) RNA Viruses

a.Family: Picornaviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, the positive polarity, single segment, RNA replication through formation of complementary RNA that act as templates genomic RNA synthesis. Virion: not enveloped, icosahedral shape, composed of four main types of protein. Diameter of 28-30 nm virions. Replication and virus morphogenesis occurs in the cytoplasm.

Hospes narrow spectrum. Example: polio virus

b.Family: Calicivirdae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, the positive polarity, a single segment. Virion: not enveloped, icosahedral shape, composed of three main types of protein. Diameter of 35-45 nm virions. Replication and morphogenesis in the cytoplasm. Hospes narrow spectrum. Example: Sapporo virus c.Family: Togaviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, the positive polarity, single segment, RNA replication through formation of complementary RNA, which acts as a template RNA genome. Virion: enveloped, icosahedral nucleocapsid, composed of 3-4 major protein species. Envelope protein has hemagglutination activity. Diameter of 60-70 nm virions. Replication and morphogenesis in the cytoplasm through a process of budding at the cell membrane. Hospes broad spectrum. Example: Chikungunya virus, rubella virus d.Family: Flaviviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, the positive polarity, single segment, replication of RNA through the complementary RNA which then acts as a template for synthesis of RNA genomes. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid symmetry is not yet clear, composed of four main types of protein. Envelope protein has hemagglutination activity. Diameter of 40-50 nm virions. Replication in the cytoplasm and morfogenesisnya through the process of budding at the cell membrane. Hospes broad spectrum. Example: yellow fever virus e.Family: Bunyaviridae Important properties:

RNA: a single chain, the negative polarity, consisting of three segments. In the process of replication, virion RNA is copied into mRNA with the help transkriptasa virion. With the help of the next mRNA translation products synthesized complementary RNA. Each segment of the complementary RNA then becomes a template for RNA genome. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid helik form, composed of four major proteins. Envelope protein has hemagglutination activity. 90-120 nm diameter virion. Replication in the cytoplasm and morfogenesisnya through the process of budding at Golgi membranes. Example: California encephalitis virus

f.Family: Arenaviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, the negative polarity, consisting of two segments. The principle of equal replication RNAnya Bunyaviridae. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid helik, composed of three major proteins. Pleomorphic virion form. Virions 50-300 nm in diameter (average of 110-130 nm). Replication in the cytoplasm morfogenesisnya through the process of budding at the plasma membrane. Hospes broad spectrum. Example: lymphotic virus g.Family: Coronaviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, consisting of one segment. Genomic RNA replication through formation of a negative RNA chain which then acts as a template for RNA genome. Synthesis of RNA negative with six types of mRNA synthesis. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid helik, composed of three major proteins. Pleomorphic forms. 80-160 nm diameter virion. Replication in the cytoplasm and morfogenesisnya through the process of budding in the intracytoplasmic membrane. Example: human coronavirus 229-E and OC43 h.Family: Rhabdoviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, negative polarity, a single segment. The principle of equal replication RNAnya Bunyaviridae.

Virion: sheathed, helik nucleocapsid, made up of 4-5 proteins. Virion envelope shaped like a bullet with hemagglutination activity. Diameter and length of 70-85 nm virion and 130-180 nm. Replication in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane morfogenesisnya in or intracytoplasmic, depending on the species of virus. Example: vesicularis stomatitis virus

i.Family: Filoviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, negative polarity, a single segment. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid helik, composed of seven major proteins. Pleomorphic shape. Virions 80 nm diameter and length to reach 14,000 nm. Replication in the cytoplasm. Example: Ebola virus j.Family: Paramyxoviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, the negative polarity. RNA replication begins with the synthesis of mRNA with the help transkriptasa virion. With the help of mRNA protein product made molds RNA genome RNA. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid helik, composed of 6-10 major proteins. Pleomorphic shape. The sheath has hemagglutination activity and menginduksifusi cells. Replication in the cytoplasm and morfogenesisnya through the process of budding at the plasma membrane. 150-300 nm diameter virion. Hospes narrow spectrum. Example: parainfluenza 1-4, viris parotitis k.Family: Orthomyxoviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, multiple segments (seven for influenza C and 8 for influenza A and B), negative polarity. RNA replication begins with the synthesis of mRNA with the help transkriptasa virion. With the help of a product protein mRNA, RNA is made complementary and genomic RNA used as a mold-making. The nature of the viral genome facilitates the segmentation of the mutant virus. Virion: enveloped, nucleocapsid helik, the primary protein is composed of 7-9. Pleomorphic forms. Sheath hemagglutination activity. 90-120 nm diameter virion. In the filamentous reach several micrometers in length. Replication of RNA in the nucleus and cytoplasm through a process of budding and morphogenesis in the plasma membrane.

Example: Influenza virus A, B, and C l.Family: Reoviridae Important properties: RNA: double chain, double segments (10 for reovirus and obvirus, 11 for rotavirus, 12 for Colorado tick fever virus. Each mRNA derived from one segment of the genome. Most of mRNA used for protein synthesis and partly used as a template for making RNA chains partner. Virion: not sheathed, kapsidnya two layers and icosahedral symmetry. Diameter of 60-80 nm virions. Replication and morphogenesis in the cytoplasm. Example: Reovirus 1-3 m.Family: Retroviridae Important properties: RNA: a single chain, consisting of two identical molecules of negative polarity. Replication begins with the separation of the two molecules of RNA and DNA chains with a mold-making RNA tersebutdengan aid virion reverse transcriptase. After the RNA-DNA molecule separate, DNA chains are made of DNA complementary to the existing partners. DNA is then subjected to multiple fiber and integrated into the chromosome sirkularisasi hospes. Further RNA genome is made with a DNA template that has been integrated in the chromosome hospes. Virion: enveloped, icosahedral capsid symmetry. Virion is composed of seven major types of protein. Diametr virions 80-130 nm. Virus morphogenesis through the process of budding at the plasma membrane. Example: HIV 1 and 2 Virus DNA a. Family: Adenoviridae Important properties: DNA: double chain, a single segment. DNA replication and a protein complex translasinya. Virion: not enveloped, icosahedral capsid symmetry. Diameter of 7090 nm virions. Virions are composed of at least 10 proteins. Replication and morphogenesis in the cell nucleus. Hospes narrow spectrum. Example: 1-49 Adenivirus b. Family: Herpesviridae

Important properties: DNA: double chain, a single segment. DNA replication complex. Virion: enveloped, icosahedral capsid symmetry. 15-200 nm diameter virion. Replication in intisel. Morphogenesis through the process of budding at the nuclear membrane. Virions in the cytoplasm was taken in the vesicle-plasma membrane vesikelke. At the plasma membrane, the membrane vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane. Example: 1-2 herpes simplex virus, B virus

c. Family:Hepadnaviridae Important properties: DNA: double chain (the bulk) and single chain (small part, at the end of the DNA molecule), a single segment. On genome replication, the single chain to be made double chain. DNA transcription produces mRNA for synthesis of proteins and other RNA as a template for making DNA by reverse transcriptase. Virion: sheathed (HBsAg), a diameter of 42 nm. Composed of the envelope (HBsAg) and nucleocapsid. Contained in the nucleocapsid core (HBcAg) and other essential proteins (HBeAg). Replication in hepatocytes occurs in the cell nucleus, while HBsAg was made in the cytoplasm. Example: The hepatitis B virus d. Family:Papovaviridae Important properties: DNA: double chain, a single circular segment. DNA replication during the replication complex and the shape remains circular. Cycle of DNA replication may involve genomic DNA episomal or integrate into the chromosomes of cells. Virion: not sheathed, diameter 45 nm (polyomavirus) and 55 nm (papillomavirus), composed of 5-7 major protein species. Replication and morphogenesis in the cell nucleus. Hospes narrow spectrum. Example: human papilloma virus e. Family:Parvoviridae Important properties: DNA: a single chain, a single segment. Parvovirus genus contains more negative polarity of DNA chains are again two genus DNA negative and positive polarity balance. DNA replication complex.

Virion: not enveloped, nucleocapsid icosahedral symmetry and a diameter of 18-26 nm, is composed of three major proteins. Replication and morphogenesis in the cell nucleus and need help hospes cells. Hospes narrow spectrum. Example: B-19 parvovirus

f. Family:Poxviridae Important properties: DNA: double chain, a single segment. DNA replication complex. Virion: sheathed, shaped like a brick and a virus with the greatest dimension. Composed of more than one hundred types of proteins. The sheath has hemagglutination activity. Replication and morphogenesis in the cytoplasm, namely in viroplasma (a kind of plant viruses). Virion morphogenesis results can be sheathed or not. Example: cow virus

Virus Classification physicochemical Nucleic Symmetry of the acids capsid and the envelope DNA Icosahedral, nonenveloped Sensitivity to ether Virus family

Based on the

Particle diameter (nm) 18 26 45 55 70 90

Examples of Viruses

Resistant

Parvovirus Papovavirus Adenovirus

Adenoassociated virus Papilloma virus Adenovirus

DNA

Icosahedral, enveloped

Sensitif

Herpesvirus

100 150

DNA

Complex

Variated

Poxvirus

230 300

RNA

Icosahedral, nonenveloped

Resistant

Picornavirus Reovirus

20 30 60 80 40 70 90 100

Virus Herpes simplek, Varicella-zoster, cytomegalovirus , Smallpox (variola), vaccinia virus, molluseum contagiosum virus Enterovirus, rhinovirus Reovirus, Orbivirus Virus Rubella California Arbovirus, Bunyamwera Arbovirus Coronavirus Virus Influenza A dan B Parainfluenza Animal tumor virus Virus Rabies Lyphocytic choriomeningiti s virus

RNA RNA

Icosahedral, enveloped Heliks, nonenveloped

Sensitive Sensitive

Togavirus Bunyavirus

Coronavirus

100

Orthomyxvirus 80 120 Paramyxovirus Retrovirus Rhadbovirus RNA Heliks, enveloped Sensitive Arenavirus 100 200 100 200 70 170 50 300

3) Viral populations do not grow through cell division, because they are acellular. Instead, they use the machinery and metabolism of a host cell to produce multiple copies of themselves, and they assemble in the cell. The life cycle of viruses differs greatly between species but there are six basic stages in the life cycle of viruses : Attachment is a specific binding between viral capsid proteins and specific receptors on the host cellular surface. This specificity determines the host range of a virus. This mechanism has evolved to favour those viruses that infect only cells in which they are capable of replication. Attachment to the receptor can induce the viral envelope protein to undergo changes that results in the fusion of

viral and cellular membranes, or changes of non-enveloped virus surface proteins that allow the virus to enter. Penetration follows attachment: Virions enter the host cell through receptormediated endocytosis or membrane fusion. This is often called viral entry. The infection of plant and fungal cells is different from that of animal cells. Plants have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose, and fungi one of chitin, so most viruses can get inside these cells only after trauma to the cell wall. However, nearly all plant viruses (such as tobacco mosaic virus) can also move directly from cell to cell, in the form of single-stranded nucleoprotein complexes, through pores called plasmodesmata. Bacteria, like plants, have strong cell walls that a virus must breach to infect the cell. However, given that bacterial cell walls are much less thick than plant cell walls due to their much smaller size, some viruses have evolved mechanisms that inject their genome into the bacterial cell across the cell wall, while the viral capsid remains outside. Uncoating is a process in which the viral capsid is removed. This may be by degradation by viral enzymes or host enzymes or by simple dissociation, the end result is the releasing of the viral genomic nucleic acid. Replication of viruses involves primarily multiplication of the genome. Replication involves synthesis of viral messenger RNA (mRNA) from "early" genes (with exceptions for positive sense RNA viruses), viral protein synthesis, possible assembly of viral proteins, then viral genome replication mediated by early or regulatory protein expression. This may be followed, for complex viruses with larger genomes, by one or more further rounds of mRNA synthesis: "late" gene expression is, in general, of structural or virion proteins. Following the structure-mediated self-assembly of the virus particles, some modification of the proteins often occurs. In viruses such as HIV, this modification (sometimes called maturation) occurs after the virus has been released from the host cell. Viruses can be released from the host cell by lysis, a process that kills the cell by bursting its membrane and cell wall if present. This is a feature of many bacterial and some animal viruses. Some viruses undergo a lysogenic cycle where the viral genome is incorporated by genetic recombination into a specific place in the host's chromosome. The viral genome is then known as a "provirus" or, in the case of bacteriophages a "prophage". Whenever the host divides, the viral genome is also replicated. The viral genome is mostly silent within the host; however, at some point, the provirus or prophage may give rise to active virus, which may lyse the host cells. Enveloped viruses (e.g., HIV) typically are released from the host cell by budding. During this process the virus acquires its envelope, which is a modified piece of the host's plasma or other, internal membrane.

4)

At one time or another, we have all most likely been infected with a virus. The common cold and chicken pox are two common ailments caused by animal viruses. Animal viruses are intracellular obligate parasites, meaning that they rely on the host animal cell completely for reproduction. They use the host's cellular components to replicate,then leave the host cell to infect other cells. Viruses gain entry into host cells via several sites such as the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory tract. Once an infection has occurred, the virus may replicate in host cells at the site of infection or they may also spread to other locations. Animal viruses typically spread throughout the body mainly by way of the bloodstream, but can also be spread via the nervous system. Viruses have several methods to counter host immune system responses. Some viruses, like HIV, destroy immune system cells. Other viruses, such as influenza viruses, experience changes in their genes leading to antigenic drift or antigenic shift. In antigenic drift, viral genes mutate altering virus surface proteins. This results in the development of a new virus strain that may not be recognized by host antibodies. Antibodies connect to specific virus antigens to identify them as 'invaders' that must be destroyed. While antigenic drift happens gradually over time, antigenetic shift occurs rapidly. In antigenetic shift, a new virus subtype is produced through the combination of genes from different viral strains. Antigenetic shifts are associated with pandemics as host populations have no immunity to the new viral strain. Animal viruses cause various types of infection. In lytic infections, the virus will break open or lyse the host cell, resulting in the destruction of the host cell. Other viruses may cause persistent infections. In this type of infection, the virus may go dormant and be reactivated at a later time. The host cell may or may not be destroyed. Some viruses can cause persistent infection in different organs and tissues at the same time. Latent infections are a type of persistent infection in which the appearance of disease symptoms does not happen immediately, but follows after a period of time. The virus responsible for the latent infection is reactivated at some later point, usually prompted by some type of event such as infection of the host by another virus or physiological changes in the host. HIV, Human Herpesviruses 6 and 7, and the Epstein-Barr Virus are examples of persistent virus infections that are associated with the immune system. Oncogenic viral infections cause changes in host cells, tuning them into tumor cells. These cancer viruses alter or transform cell properties leading to abnormal cell growth.

5) A teratogen is an agent that causes a defect or malformation in the development of the embryo or fetus. Several factors affect the ability of a teratogen to contact a developing conceptus, such as the nature of the agent itself, route and degree of maternal exposure, rate of placental transfer and systemic absorption, and composition of the maternal and embryonic/fetal genotypes. Teratogens act in specific ways (e.g., mutation, chromosome damage, changing enzyme activity,

altering patterns of apoptosis, etc.), often in specific tissues, so they sometimes produce characteristic congenital anomalies. There are a few dozen proven human teratogens; however, many more factors are suspected based on case reports, retrospective studies and animal experiments that have identified more than 600 teratogens. 6) Virion, an entire virus particle, consisting of an outer protein shell called a capsid and an inner core of nucleic acid (either ribonucleic or deoxyribonucleic acidRNA or DNA). The core confers infectivity, and the capsid provides specificity to the virus. In some virions the capsid is further enveloped by a fatty membrane, in which case the virion can be inactivated by exposure to fat solvents such as ether and chloroform. Many virions are spheroidalactually icosahedral the capsid having 20 triangular faces, with regularly arranged units called capsomeres, two to five or more along each side; and the nucleic acid is densely coiled within. Other virions have a capsid consisting of an irregular number of surface spikes and the nucleic acid loosely coiled within. Virions of most plant viruses are rod-shaped; the capsid is a naked cylinder (lacking a fatty membrane) within which lies a straight or helical rod of nucleic acid. Viroids are plant pathogens that consist of a short stretch (a few hundred nucleobases) of highly complementary, circular, single-stranded RNA without the protein coat that is typical for viruses. In comparison, the genome of the smallest known viruses capable of causing an infection by themselves are around 2 kilobases in size. The human pathogen hepatitis D is similar to viroids. Viroids are extremely small in size, consisting of less than 10,000 atoms. Viroids were discovered and given this name by Theodor Otto Diener, a plant pathologist at the Agricultural Research Service in Maryland, in 1971. Viroid RNA does not code for any protein. The replication mechanism involves RNA polymerase II, an enzyme normally associated with synthesis of messenger RNA from DNA, which instead catalyzes "rolling circle" synthesis of new RNA using the viroid's RNA as template. Some viroids are ribozymes, having catalytic properties which allow self-cleavage and ligation of unit-size genomes from larger replication intermediates. The first viroid to be identified was Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd). Some 33 species have been identified. 7) Researchers have long attempted to elucidate the role that viruses play in causing cancer. Worldwide, cancer viruses are estimated to cause 15 to 20 percent of all cancers in humans. Most viral infections however, do not lead to tumor formation as several factors influence the progression from viral infection to cancer development. Some of these factors include the host's genetic makeup, mutation

occurrence, exposure to cancer causing agents, and immune impairment. Viruses typically initiate cancer development by suppressing the host's immune system, causing inflammation over a long period of time, or by altering host genes. Cancer Cell Properties Cancer cells have characteristics that differ from normal cells. They all acquire the ability to grow uncontrollably. This can result from having control of their own growth signals, losing sensitivity to anti-growth signals, and losing the ability to undergo apoptosis or programmed cell death. Cancer cells don't experience biological aging and maintain their ability to undergo cell division and growth. Cancer Viruses: Transformation Transformation occurs when a virus infects and genetically alters a cell. The infected cell is regulated by the viral genes and has the ability to undergo abnormal new growth. Scientists have been able to discern some commonality among viruses that cause tumors. The tumor viruses change cells by integrating their genetic material with the host cell's DNA. Unlike the integration seen in prophages, this is a permanent insertion in that the genetic material is never removed. The insertion mechanism can differ depending on whether the nucleic acid in the virus is DNA or RNA. In DNA viruses, the genetic material can be directly inserted into the host's DNA. RNA viruses must first transcribe RNA to DNA and then insert the genetic material into the host cell's DNA. Cancer Viruses: Classes There are two classes of cancer viruses: DNA and RNA viruses. Several viruses have been linked to certain types of cancer in humans. These viruses have varying ways of reproduction and represent several different virus families. DNA Viruses The Epstein-Barr virus has been linked to Burkitt's lymphoma. This virus infects B cells of the immune system and epithelial cells. The hepatitis B virus has been linked to liver cancer in people with chronic infections. Human papilloma viruses have been linked to cervical cancer. They also cause warts and benign papillomas. Human herpes virus-8 has been linked to the development of Kaposi sarcoma. Kaposi sarcoma causes patches of abnormal tissue to develop in various area of the body including under the skin, in the lining of the mouth, nose, and throat or in other organs. RNA Viruses Human T lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-I), a retrovirus, has been linked to Tcell leukemia. The hepatitis C virus has been linked to liver cancer in people with chronic infections.