The metagenomic approach and causality in virology

Abstract

Nowadays, the metagenomic approach has been a very important tool in the discovery of new viruses in environmental and biological samples. Here we discuss how these discoveries may help to elucidate the etiology of diseases and the criteria necessary to establish a causal association between a virus and a disease.

Keywords

• Metagenômica
• Vírus
• Virologia
• Doenças Transmissíveis, etiologia
• Causalidade
• Postulados de Koch