Virus
Classification
Viruses
have
been
traditionally
named
by
adding
the
word
'virus'
after
the
disease
caused
in
the
major
host,
e.g.
poliovirus,
the
causative
agent
of
poliomyelitis.
Bacteriophages were named after laboratory code symbols e,g. φX174, P22, T7 etc.
Holmes
(1948)
followed
the
Linnaen
system
of
binomial
nomenclature.
Viruses
were
grouped
under
the
order
Virales,
which
was
divided
into
three
suborders:
Phaginae
-
infecting
bacteria.
Phytophaginae
-
infecting
plants.
Zoophaginae
-
infecting
animals.
