Quantifying Viral Infection at the Level of Single Cells

Abstract

The persistent global health challenges posed by viral diseases necessitate a refined understanding of their pathogenesis, particularly at the single-cell level where highly variable virus–host interactions and stochastic events play pivotal roles in determining infection outcomes. Previous research in single-cell virology has primarily focused on RNA viruses, known for their high mutation rates, revealing extraordinary between-cell variability in infection kinetics. In this thesis, I examine infection by vaccinia virus (VACV), the prototypical member of the Poxviridae family of large DNA viruses, with the aim of elucidating the complex dynamics of VACV replication within individual host cells, their effect on cell-to-cell virus spread, and the roles of viral and host factors in these processes.