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A family of filamentous, single-stranded, negative sense RNA viruses with an enveloped nucleocapsid. These viruses were formerly classified with the Rhabdoviridae and are associated with hemorrhagic fever. The natural reservoir of these viruses is unknown. See Ebola virus. [L. filum, thread, + virus]
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Fi·lo·vi·ri·dae .fī-lō-'vir-ə-.dē n pl a family of single-stranded RNA viruses that infect vertebrates, that have a pleomorphic usu. bacilliform or filamentous shape with a helical nucleocapsid and a lipoprotein envelope with glycoprotein projections, and that include the Ebola viruses and the Marburg virus
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Fi·lo·vi·ri·dae (fi″lo-virґĭ-de) Marburg and Ebola viruses: a family of RNA viruses having enveloped filamentous virions, sometimes branching or U- or 6-shaped, 80 nm in diameter and varying greatly in length, with large peplomers, surrounding a helical nucleocapsid. The genome consists of a single molecule of negative-sense single-stranded RNA (MW 4.2Ч106, size 19.1 kb). Viruses contain seven major polypeptides and are sensitive to heat, ultraviolet and gamma radiation, beta-propiolactone, and formalin. Replication occurs in the cytoplasm and assembly is by budding through the plasma membrane. There is a single genus, Filovirus.Medical dictionary. 2011.