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What Was the First Virus in the World?

What Was the First Virus in the World?

Stefano Mirabello NowPatientGreen tick
Medically reviewed by Stefano Mirabello, B.Pharm
Written by

Created
March 28, 2025 (Current Version)

There are many viruses in the world. It wasn’t until the invention of the electron microscope in the 1950s that viruses in patient samples could be detected, analysed and help the public health response to viral infections. But, what was the first virus ever discovered? In this blog post we will discuss the discovery of the 1st virus and some of its characteristics. Keep reading to learn more.

What is a virus?

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and algae. The study of viruses in particular, is known as virology and a person who studies viruses is called a virologist. A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of other organisms. Viruses infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to bacteria. Viruses are extremely diverse and come in many different shapes and sizes. Some viruses have a genome made of DNA, while others have a genome made of RNA. The genomes of viruses can range in size from a few genes to hundreds of genes.

Most viruses are regarded as pathogens, meaning that they cause disease. Some viral diseases, such as the flu or the common cold are mild, while others, such as AIDS or the Ebola virus, can be deadly. Viruses do not have their own genome or metabolic proteins, so they are unable to replicate on their own. Instead they rely on the genome and proteins of their host cells to produce new copies of themselves. For replication, viruses must first infect a host cell and hijack its machinery. Once inside the cell the virus begins to produce the proteins needed to build new viral particles. These new particles then assemble themselves and burst out of the host cell’s cell membrane, starting the cycle anew.

Although they are simple in structure, viruses are complex in terms of their biology. This complexity has made it difficult for scientists to develop vaccines for many viral diseases. However, recent advances in our understanding of virology may one day lead to more effective treatments for these diseases.

The first virus to infect a plant

Ivanovsky was a researcher in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in 1892 he was investigating a disease that was devastating tobacco crops in the Crimea. He observed that the plants were covered in a strange mosaic pattern, with discoloured patches of tissue. Ivanovsky initially suspected that bacteria caused the plant disease. He took sap from infected tobacco leaves and filtered it through a porcelain filter with small pores to block bacteria. Ivanovsky expected to see bacteria in the filtrate, but there were none. However, after conducting further experiments, he ruled out bacteria as the culprit. Instead he found that the Tobacco Mosaic virus was responsible for the plant disease.

This was the first time that a virus had been discovered. Ivanovsky’s discovery was groundbreaking; it was the first time a virus had been isolated and identified. Ivanovsky’s work laid the foundation for future research on viruses and their role in causing disease. His finding also helped to pave the way for future discoveries in the field of virology.

The first virus human virus

The yellow fever virus is a mosquito-borne virus that was first discovered in 1901. The virus is responsible for causing a severe and often fatal disease called yellow fever. It is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which also spread other serious viruses such as Dengue and Zika. It can be difficult to diagnose because of its similarities to other diseases such as malaria and other hemorrhagic fevers. Yellow fever virus is classed as a vector-borne disease. Vectors are insects, ticks or mites which can transmit diseases to their host i.e. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carry the pathogen to their human host.

The first recorded outbreak of yellow fever occurred in Africa in the early 1800s, and the disease quickly spread to other parts of the world, including the Americas. In response to the outbreak, a team of researchers led by Dr Walter Reed travelled to Africa to study the disease. Reed and his team discovered that the yellow fever virus was transmitted by mosquitoes. They developed a vaccine that could protect people from the disease. The yellow fever vaccine was later used to control outbreaks in the Americas, where it remains an important tool for preventing the spread of the disease today.

How does your body respond to viral infection?

The immune system of an infected person begins to produce antibodies in response to a virus. Antibodies are proteins that recognise and bind to foreign invaders, such as viruses. This binding helps to neutralise the virus and prevent it from infecting cells.

The immune system also produces specialised cells, known as memory cells. Memory cells remain in the body after an infection has cleared and help to protect against future infections with the same virus. When a person is vaccinated their body is exposed to a weakened form of the virus. This exposure stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and memory cells. As a result the person is immune to future infection from the virus.

In some cases the immune response can clear the virus from the body entirely. However, in other cases the virus can replicate and cause infectious diseases. The body’s response to viral infection depends on several factors, including the individual’s immune system strength, health conditions and the specific type of virus. In general however, the immune system is typically able to mount an effective response against most viral infections.

Unlike bacterial infections, viral diseases don’t respond to antibiotics. People will need either a vaccination to prevent infection or antiviral drugs to treat any symptoms. Sometimes the only option is symptom relief.

Other virus discoveries

  • In 1965 the Hepatitis B virus was discovered by Dr Baruch Blumberg who won the Nobel Prize for its discovery
  • In 1908 in Vienna, polio was discovered to be a virus by Karl Landsteninrt and Erwin Popper
  • The Herpes virus was not found to be a virus until the 1940s
  • The Marburg virus belongs to the same family of viruses that causes the Ebola virus disease. It was first identified in 1967 after two large outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt, in Germany, and Belgrade, in Serbia. These first reported cases were seen in laboratory workers carrying out studies with African green monkey tissue samples from Uganda. In total thirty-one people fell sick and seven deaths were reported. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently confirmed that two cases of the Marburg virus have been detected in the Ashanti Region of Southern Ghana West Africa on July 7th 2022
  • In 1983 HIV was discovered, the virus that can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), sometimes described as one of the deadliest diseases in the world today
  • SARS-CoV (Severe Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) is a strand of coronavirus that attacks the epithelial cells of the lungs. First identified in 2003 in China. A new strain of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 is what caused the new coronavirus pandemic that began in 2019. This new virus spread incredibly quickly from person to person

Viruses have been around for millions of years and are some of the oldest and most primitive life forms on Earth. The first viruses to be discovered were small, simple and barely alive. Today’s viruses are much more complex and can cause serious illness or death. If you think you may have contracted a virus it is important to speak to your healthcare professional for medical advice. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for the best possible outcome.

Sources

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The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.

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Who owns NowPatient?

NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.

Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).

Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?

NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.

Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).

Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.

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From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.

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Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:

• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old

NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla. Dr Ihtesham Sabri is the Medical Director for NowPatient and is responsible for NowPatient’s prescribing formulary and treatment guidelines, which are used by clinicians for safe and effective prescribing.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?

Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.

You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

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How to Book a Consultation With NowPatient
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    Choose Consultation Date
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  • Book gp consultation slideshow 3
    3
    Choose Consultation Time
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    Choose Clinician
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    5
    Booking Confirmation
    You will now arrive at the ‘Booking Confirmation’ screen, where you can review a summary of your booking. This screen also includes an advisory titled ‘Pre-consultation Requirements’, which offers helpful tips on how to prepare for your live video consultation. Click ‘Continue’ to proceed.
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    Safety Information & Reminders
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    7
    Final Confirmation
    Click ‘Confirm Booking’ to complete the process. A pop-up will appear to confirm your booking, and you will be redirected to your account homepage. You’ll also receive confirmation via In-App and Push notifications.

If I place an order, how do I check out?

Follow the steps below to checkout:

How to Checkout on NowPatient
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Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?

Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.

NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.

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Yes. NowPatient is fully insured to provide pharmacy & prescribing services. Insurance not only provides peace of mind but also provides an effective safety net for both you and our clinicians.

Why is it important to choose an online pharmacy and telehealth service that is insured?

Insurance is more than just a financial safeguard, it is a signal of legitimacy and accountability.

We insure our services, so that it:

  • Shows you that we are compliant with all laws and industry standards in the markets that we operate.
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  • Reinforces your confidence that you are dealing with a reputable provider.

Who insures your services and which services are insured?

We are insured by the National Pharmacy Association in the UK.

The scope of the services covered include:

  • dispensing of prescriptions
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In addition, all of the clinicians that operate on our platform have their personal indemnity insurance & scope of clinical practice validated and checked before they are able to provide services.

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Our office hours are:

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Please note that we are closed at weekends.

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