Helper virus

Not to be confused with L-A helper virus.

A helper virus is a virus that allows an otherwise-deficient coinfecting virus to replicate. These can be naturally occurring as with Hepatitis D virus, which requires Hepatitis B virus to coinfect cells in order to replicate. Helper viruses are also commonly used to replicate and spread viral vectors for gene expression and gene therapy.^[1]

See also

• Helper dependent virus

• Virophage

References

1. Graham BS, Crowe JE, Ledgerwood JE (2007). "14 - Immunization Against Viral Diseases". In Knipe DM, Howley PM (eds.). Fields Virology (6 ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health. p. 403.