What Are Viroids?

About the smallest infectious pathogens discovered to date. Recommended reading.

In his article William A. Haseltine introduce us to viroids, the smallest pathogens. Most people will have heard about viruses, bacteria, and fungi, three major types of disease-causing microbes. “Some will also have heard about protozoa, which are larger and more complex than the aforementioned three. The particularly studious may even know of prions, which are “infectious”, misfolded proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases, including mad cow disease. But few will know about the smallest infectious pathogens discovered to date: viroids.”
 
Find out more on Forbes in article titled What Are Viroids? Taking A Peek At The World’s Smallest Pathogens (2023) by William A. Haseltine.