Virology
The virus particle, like other Coltiviruses, is ~80 nm in diameter and is generally nonenveloped. The double-stranded RNA viral genome is ~20,000bp long and is divided into 11 segments, which are termed Seg-1 to Seg-12. Viral replication in infected cells is associated with characteristic cytoplasmic granular matrices. Evidence suggests viral presence in mature erythrocytes is a result of replication of the virus in hematopoitic erythrocyte precursor cells and simultaneous maturation of the infected immature cells rather than of direct entry and replication of CTFV in mature erythrocytes.
Read more about this topic: Colorado Tick Fever