Organisms

Viroids

A group of pathogens comprising the smallest known agents of infectious disease. They are unencapsulated and are capable of replicating autonomously in susceptible cells. Positively identified viroids composed of single-stranded RNA have been isolated from higher plants, but the existence of DNA viroids pathogenic to animals is suspected.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A group of pathogens comprising the smallest known agents of infectious disease. They are unencapsulated and are capable of replicating autonomously in susceptible cells. Positively identified viroids composed of single-stranded RNA have been isolated from higher plants, but the existence of DNA viroids pathogenic to animals is suspected.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

Loading graph…

Drag nodes to rearrange; hover to trace links; click a node to open its page.

MeSH Record

Synonyms

1 entry terms
  • Viroid

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

13 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings chemistry, classification, drug effects, enzymology, genetics, growth & development, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pathogenicity, physiology, radiation effects, ultrastructure.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

"smallest known agents of infect dis"; read MeSH definition

MeSH Record

History Note

81

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Plant Viruses (1971-1980)
  • RNA, Viral (1971-1980)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. B04w.956w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QW 160

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Viroids. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D014772. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D014772
  2. Viroids. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viroid
  3. Viroids. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q209917