Marek's disease is caused by what type of virus?

Marek's disease is caused by what type of virus?

• A. Retrovirus
• B. Parvovirus
• C. Herpesvirus
• D. Adenovirus

Answer: (C)

Marek's disease virus is a herpesvirus. This means it is a large enveloped double-stranded DNA virus in the Herpesviridae family, known for establishing latent infections and often causing tumor- or lymphoproliferative diseases in birds. That classification distinguishes it from other viral families: retroviruses are RNA viruses that reverse-transcribe into DNA and commonly affect leukocytes, parvoviruses are small non-enveloped single-stranded DNA viruses, and adenoviruses are non-enveloped double-stranded DNA viruses with typically different disease patterns. The herpesvirus nature of Marek's disease virus explains its biology and the way it causes disease in chickens.

Marek's disease virus is a herpesvirus. This means it is a large enveloped double-stranded DNA virus in the Herpesviridae family, known for establishing latent infections and often causing tumor- or lymphoproliferative diseases in birds. That classification distinguishes it from other viral families: retroviruses are RNA viruses that reverse-transcribe into DNA and commonly affect leukocytes, parvoviruses are small non-enveloped single-stranded DNA viruses, and adenoviruses are non-enveloped double-stranded DNA viruses with typically different disease patterns. The herpesvirus nature of Marek's disease virus explains its biology and the way it causes disease in chickens.