Beschreibung der Veranstaltung

Denomination: Veterinary Virology

Department: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Teaching language: English

Nature: elective

Specialisation: veterinary

Scheduled place: 2nd year 2nd semester

Lectures: 30 lessons/semester

Practical course: 30 lessons/semester (5×2 lab. practicals, 20 plenary practicals)

Credits: 4

Practical course grade: No

Method of evaluation: midterm (general virology), exam

Teaching staff – lectures: Petra Forgách, András Marosi

Teaching staff – practical course: Petra Forgách, András Marosi, Anna Kollár, Csenge Tolnai

Course info: https://univet.hu/en/education/courses/veterinary-virology/

Contact: [Click to see email]

 

Description

The students learn general and specific virology, focusing on pathogens of veterinary importance. They learn the immune response of the host, its protection against infectious diseases and the most important diagnostic methods. The main laboratory techniques and identification procedures are demonstrated at the practicals with the characteristics and identification of the most important viruses.

Teaching is organised in lectures, plenary practicals, and small-group (18 students/group) laboratory practicals.

Veterinary virology is a mandatory course in the 4^th semester of the international curriculum of UVMB, but due to the harmonisation with the curricula of veterinary schools in Germany, it is missing from the curriculum of the German class. If a student from the German class decides to continue the education at UVMB, the Veterinary virology course must be completed in the 6^th semester on top of the other subjects, which causes the spring semester timetable to become even more complicated. Recognising the difficulty of the situation for both the students and the Department as a consequence, the Veterinary virology course is offered as an elective subject to the 2^nd year German class to complete before the start of the 3^rd year.

Similarly to the previous year, in the 2023/2024 academic year, the full 2^nd-year German class has the opportunity to sign up for the Veterinary virology course. The benefits of completing the course are:

• in the 2nd year spring semester German curriculum, there is plenty of free time in which the Virology course can be easily and comfortably fitted;
• students can try the education in English;
• as an elective subject, the “firewall rules” are not applied, therefore even if the exam conditions are met (i.e. practicals are completed and the semester closing signature is acquired), the exam can be postponed to the next semester in case of continuing the education at UVMB (however, passing the exam in the present semester makes the 3^rd year exam periods easier);
• the elective “Veterinary virology for German Students” course is recognised as equivalent to the mandatory “Veterinary virology” course in case of continuing the studies at UVMB;
• in case of passing the exam and studies are continued at a veterinary school in Germany, exemption from Virology subject can be requested.

 

Teaching environment

The computer-aided lectures and plenary practicals are given in lecture halls determined by the timetable. At the lectures, Teams video (and, if possible, narrated PPT) is recorded and shared with the students in the Moodle system.

The laboratory practicals are held at the practical room of the Department (1143 Budapest, Hungária krt. 23-25., at Puskás Ferenc Stadion subway station), where microscopes, laboratory equipment and computerised summaries help the understanding. The demonstration material is prepared in the Virology laboratory of the Department.

 

Recommended literature

• The ICTV Report https://ictv.global/report/taxon
• MACLACHLAN, N. J. – DUBOVI, E. J. (ed.): Fenner’s Veterinary Virology. 5th ed. Elsevier, 2016.
• MACLACHLAN, N. J. – DUBOVI, E. J. (ed.): Fenner’s Veterinary Virology. 4th ed. Elsevier, 2010.
• QUINN, P. J. – MARKEY, B. K. – LEONARD, F. C. – HARTIGAN, P. – FANNING, S. – FITZPATRICK, E. S.: Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Disease. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 2011.

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Thematik der Vorlesungen

Topics of the theoretical lectures

• Starting from 23 February 2026, there are theoretical lectures at the „plenary” dates too.
• Because of the Easter holiday, there is no lecture on 7 April 2026.
• Because of the Equus days, there is no lecture at the plenary date on 15 April 2026.
• The discussion of „Specific virology” topics starts on 16 March 2026.

Date	Schedule of the theoretical lectures
3 Feb.	Place and significance of viruses in the biosphere, evolution of viruses
	Morphology of viruses
10 Feb.	General characteristics of viral nucleic acid
	Viral proteins, their role and methods of their investigation. Viral lipids and carbohydrates
17 Feb.	General features of virus multiplication
	Mutation of viruses and its role in virus evolution
24 Feb.	Transcription, translation and nucleic acid replication of DNA viruses
	Transcription, translation and nucleic acid replication of RNA viruses
25 Feb.	Viral interactions (recombination, complementation, phenotypic mixing, interference, virus exaltation)
	Virus-host cell interactions I. (resistance, interferon-response, latency, persisting infection)
3 March	Virus-host cell interactions II. (viral oncogenicity)
	Virus – host interactions I. (infection routes)
4 March	Virus – host interactions II. (coevolution, host switch, emerging viruses)
	Types of viral infections (acute, latent, tolerated, persisting and slow infections).
10 March	Antiviral medicines, interferons, interferon inducers and immune sera in therapy.
11 March	Immunisation against viral diseases, types of viral vaccines.
17 March	Specific virology. The taxonomy of viruses.
	Papillomaviridae, Polyomaviridae.
18 March	Adenoviridae.
	Herpesvirales.
24 March	Poxviridae.
	Asfar-, Hepadnaviridae.
25 March	Parvoviridae.
	Circo-, Anelloviridae.
8 April	Reo-, Birnaviridae.
	Picornaviridae.
14 April	Picornavirales (Dicistro-, Iflaviridae).
	Caliciviridae.
21 April	Astro- Hepeviridae.
	Toga-, Flaviviridae.
22 April	Coronaviridae.
	Arteriviridae.
28April	Bunyavirales, Arenaviridae.
	Orthomyxoviridae.
29 April	Paramyxoviridae.
	Pneumoviridae.
5 May	Rhabdoviridae.
	Filo-, Bornaviridae.
6 May	Retroviridae.
12 May	Bacteriophages, virophages.
	Viroids, prions.

On 12/13 May at the plenary dates and venue, a personal consultation is offered to the students for signing the logbook and/or asking questions regarding the topics, exam, etc.

Thematik der praktischen Unterrichtsstunden

Topics of mandatory plenary practicals

Date	Virology plenary practicals
4 Feb.	Laboratory diagnosis of viral infections (collection and transport of samples).
	Direct demonstration of virus infections I: virus isolation.
11 Feb.	Direct demonstration of virus infections II: virus identification, detection of viral antigens.
	Titration of viruses (infective titer, hemagglutinating titer).
18 Feb.	Direct demonstration of virus infections III: detection of viral nucleic acid.
	Detection and titration of antiviral antibodies (serum neutralisation, hemagglutination inhibition).

Topics of laboratory practicals

Week	Virology laboratory practicals
9-13 Feb.	Virus isolation from diagnostic samples (inoculation of embryonated eggs, and cell cultures)
16-20 Feb.	Virus-induced cytopathic effects and plaque-formation on cell cultures, haemagglutination test
23-27 Feb.	Direct diagnosis of viral infections using molecular methods I. (virus nucleic acid purification, polymerase chain reaction)
2-6 March	Direct diagnosis of viral infections using molecular methods II. (agarose gel electrophoresis), indirect diagnosis of viral infections I. (virus neutralisation test)
9-13 March	Indirect diagnosis of viral infections II. (evaluation of virus neutralisation, haemagglutination inhibition)

 

Beschreibung der Bewertung

Lectures

• In the 2nd semester of the 2025/2026 academic year, the theoretical lecture topics (see topic list) are disseminated to “lecture” and, starting from semester week 4, also to “plenary” dates in the following timetable pattern:

date	venue	student groups
Tuesday 10:15-12:00	Tormay lecture hall	complete class
Wednesday 12:15-14:00	Marek lecture hall	Groups 1-3
Wednesday 14:15-16:00	Marek lecture hall	Groups 4-6

• The updated lecture notes in PDF format will be available in Moodle for download before the lecture; printing and supplementing these drafts with personal notes on the information discussed at the lectures is strongly advised. The draft lecture notes alone are not enough to prepare for a successful exam!
• The lectures are recorded in Teams (and, if possible, in narrated PPTs), and the videos are uploaded to the Moodle system after the lecture ends.
• Those who are exempted from “General virology” (including the practicals as well) need to attend the “Specific virology” lectures starting on 16 March 2026 (starting topic: Taxonomy of viruses; Papillomaviridae, Polyomaviridae).

Informationen zur Prüfung

Exam information

• Dysfunction-related (i.e. dyslexia) special midterm/exam conditions are applied to students whose specific conditions the Student’s Secretariat officially reports to the Department based on the certificate issued by Prof. Tibor Bartha.

Midterm

• A midterm test is written at the end of the “General Virology” part of the course. The midterm aims to establish the knowledge necessary to understand the “Specific Virology” part of the course. Those exempted from “General virology” are not required to sit the midterm.
• The form of the midterm is an online test in the Moodle system and is done on the students’ own electronic devices (at home). Types of questions include true/false and multiple-choice tests.
• Midterm date: 7 April 2026 (Tuesday) 9:00.
• The basis of the midterm is the „General virology” topics discussed at the lectures and the virology laboratory diagnostic topics discussed at the practicals and related plenary lectures.
• The passing score is 60%.
• There is only 1 midterm opportunity (one date) and no second chance (retake date).
• If the midterm result is at least “passing” (grade 2), it is included in the final mark of the exam at the end of the semester, i.e., at the final exam, only the specific virology test should be completed. In case of failing the midterm, both the general and specific virology topics are included in the exam questions.

 

 

Final exam

• Students can sit an examination both after the spring and autumn semesters. The condition of registration for the exam is the signature in the black book.
• The Department determines exam days before the exam period – one exam date each week during the exam period is planned. Registration for exam dates and postponing an exam should be done in the Neptun system.
• The form of the exam is an online (Moodle) test written in designated lecture halls at the Campus on notebooks provided by the University. The test consists of true/false and multiple-choice questions, with a passing score of 60%. Based on the midterm result or exemption, the students will be registered for either „only specific virology” or „complete virology” tests.
• The exam results are published in Neptun within 2 days after the exam.
• In case of failing the exam, the retake is by the exam rules of the University.