Leading research in the active field of virology is given coverage in this volume. Based on contributions from a meeting in Giessen, FRG, organized by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, the reviews represent international experience from Japan, Europe and North America. The most interesting topics in current virus research are included, such as: leukemogenesis by retroviruses, coding strategy of arena- and coronaviruses, slow virus infections, virus-induced membrane fusion, antiviral agents, pathogenetic mechanisms of influenza- and retroviruses, and recombinant vaccinia virus.

Marburg and Ebola virus, the two species within the family Filoviridae, are among the most pathogenic agents causing fulminant hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates. The chronology of filovirus epidemics and epizootics proves that these viruses are prototypes of emerging/re-emerging pathogens. Since the discovery of Marburg virus in 1967 until the recent Ebola virus outbreaks in Central and West Africa filoviruses have not only raised the interest of scientists, but have also been a matter of high public concern. With the advent of recombinant DNA technology our knowledge on the...