While pinpointing the very first discovery of a virus is complex due to the nature of the research, Martinus Beijerinck is widely credited with its discovery.
The Early Days of Virology
The story begins in 1892 with Dmitri Ivanovsky's experiments. He demonstrated that the infectious agent causing tobacco mosaic disease could pass through filters that trapped bacteria. This indicated the presence of a much smaller pathogen. [^1, ^2, ^5] However, it was Beijerinck who, building upon Ivanovsky's work, coined the term "virus" to describe this infectious, filterable agent. [^1] His studies solidified the understanding that a novel type of infectious agent existed, distinct from bacteria. This discovery marked the beginning of virology as a scientific field. [^1]
It's important to note that the "first virus" identified was the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). [^3, ^4] Subsequent research led to the crystallization of TMV by Wendell Stanley in the 1930s, a significant advancement in understanding viral structure. [^3] The identification of viruses continued, leading to major discoveries like the HIV virus in 1983. [^4] Different types of coronaviruses have been identified over time, with June Almeida playing a significant role in their early imaging. [^7] The 1918 influenza pandemic also resulted in significant breakthroughs in understanding the nature of viruses and their transmission. [^9] The COVID-19 pandemic spurred extensive research and rapid advancements in our knowledge of viruses and their effects on human health. [^8, ^10]
Therefore, while multiple scientists contributed to the understanding and characterization of various viruses over time, Martinus Beijerinck's work in defining the nature of the filterable infectious agent and coining the term "virus" is considered the foundational discovery.
[^1]: In 1892, Dmitri Ivanovsky used one of these filters to show that sap from a diseased tobacco plant remained infectious to healthy tobacco plants despite having been filtered. Martinus Beijerinck called the filtered, infectious substance a "virus" and this discovery is considered to be the beginning of virology.
[^2]: The first evidence of the existence of viruses came from experiments with filters that had pores small enough to retain bacteria. In 1892, Dmitri Ivanovsky used ...
[^3]: In the 1930s, Wendell Stanley was able to produce the tobacco mosaic virus in solid crystalline form. He was the first person to be able to crystalize a virus.
[^4]: In 1983, HIV -the virus responsible for AIDS- was isolated by virologists from the Institut Pasteur. A first observation with a microscope ...
[^5]: Scientific understanding of viruses emerged in the 1890s, with the work of Russian microbiologist Dmitry I. Ivanovsky (1892) and Dutch microbiologist and ...
[^6]: At the end of the 19th century, Dmitry Ivanovsky was the first to discover the virus. However, it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that ...
[^7]: June Almeida was a pioneer of virus imaging who was largely forgotten until the current outbreak.
[^8]: China reports the first death from the novel coronavirus and publishes a draft genome of the newly discovered coronavirus suspected of causing the outbreak. By ...
[^9]: It has often been true in science that breakthroughs come from unexpected quarters. ... It is now believed that the pandemic virus appearing in 1918 was ...
[^10]: WHO published our first Disease Outbreak News on the new virus. ... Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
