A selective history on the nature of viruses -- Biosynthesis of viruses : an introduction to virus classification -- Modes of virus infection and disease -- Host defenses and viral countermeasures -- Reoviruses -- Picornaviruses -- Flaviviruses -- Togaviruses -- Coronaviruses -- Rhabdoviruses -- Paramyxoviruses -- Orthomyxoviruses -- Miscellaneous RNA viruses -- Parvoviruses -- Polyomaviruses -- Papillomaviruses -- Adenoviruses -- Herpesviruses -- Poxviruses -- The retroviruses : the RNA tumor viruses -- The retroviruses : lentiviruses, human immunodeficiency virus, and AIDS -- Hepadnaviruses and hepatitis delta virus.

"Based on the author's experiences teaching virology for more than 35 years, Virology: Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis enables readers to develop a deep understanding of fundamental virology by emphasizing principles and discussing viruses in the context of virus families. Moreover, individual virus families are examined within the context of the Baltimore classification system, a key unifying theme that allows readers to assume basic facts about the replication strategy of a virus based on the nature of its genome."--BOOK JACKET.