ICTVdB Virus Descriptions
Identification and Information Retrieval Tool

Cystoviridaediagram of elongated virion shapes used in the caharacter list as identification aid

Although the ICTVdB database is under construction and many descriptions are still missing or incomplete, the dataset for identification and retrieval is fully functional. Presently, only a few images and character notes are included to help the identification process. More will be added over the time when more descriptions become available. The available descriptions are already illustrated with an electron micrograph of a representative virion for their respective genus/family.

Aerial view of sugar beet field near Fakenham, Norfolk, UK, infected with Beet yellows virus and Beet western yellows virus. Courtesy of AJ GibbsCucumber mosaic virus. EM picture courtesy of RG Milne.This classical tulip breaking symptoms caused by Tulip breaking virus was found in a tulip field at the spring festival Floriade, Canberra, Australia. Courtesy of AJ GibbsPotyvirus. EM picture courtesy of RG Milne.

DELTA LogoTo use the identification and information retrieval program, the Intkey software and Intkey data files are needed. Before you can start to use the identification tool, Intkey must be installed on your computer. The software is freely available and can be downloaded from here .

Intkey runs with Windows 95/98/2000/ME/NT. You can run Intkey and read the data files either directly from the Internet, or save them on your hard disk if you wish. Just follow the prompts. If are still using Windows 3.1, the data files must reside on your computer before you can run Intkey. Download the self-expanding file ictvdb.exe into any directory (folder), and open the dataset within the Intkey.

Index of virus descriptions.
The Intkey dataset is generated from the same data matrix used to generate the descriptions listed in the above Index. The taxon descriptions and images can also be viewed from within in Intkey by double clicking on a taxon name without going through an identification/data retrieval process.

Demonstration of how Intkey can be used
Melina Kalache, a student from the agricultural school ENITA de Bordeaux, France, prepared this demonstration of how to identify a plant virus for the ICV in Sydney 1999, while she spent her internship with the ICTVdB Management in Canberra in 1999.

 

Cornelia Büchen-Osmond

Biosphere 2 Center, May 10, 2001