Infectious disease agents Lipids

Viruses are small infectious agents composed of a nucleic acid genome (DNA or RNA) encased by structural proteins and in some cases a lipid envelope. They are the causative agents of a number of human infectious diseases, the most important for public health today being acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis, influenza, measles, and vituses causing diarrhoea (e.g., rotavirus). In addition, certain viruses contribute to the development of cancer. Antiviral drugs inhibit viral replication by specifically targeting viral enzymes or functions and are used to treat specific virus-associated diseases. 

The mammalian liver is a construction of living cells that function (unlike in other organs) in a delicate choreography that simultaneously detoxifies, metabolizes, and synthesizes proteins. The liver handles the breakdown and synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, and coenzymes (Figure 1.8). In addition to the hepatocytes, other cells within the liver perform other vital functions. The system contributes to the disposition of particulates carried by the bloodstream and fights myriad microbiological agents responsible for a number of infectious diseases. ... 

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