This list includes 28 Viruses that start with S, from “SADS-CoV” to “Swine vesicular disease virus”. These viruses span multiple families and genome types, and some cause human or animal outbreaks. You will mainly use this list for research, diagnosis, surveillance, and vaccine or therapeutics reference.
Viruses that start with S are a varied group of viral species and strains sharing only an initial letter. Notable examples include SARS viruses, which have shaped modern public health responses.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Classification, Affects humans?, Symptoms, and Transmission.
Name: The common virus name helps you find, cross-reference, and recognize entries quickly and in literature searches.
Classification: Shows family, genus, and species so you can understand relationships and compare similar viruses effectively.
Affects humans?: States whether the virus infects people, with a short qualifier like “zoonotic” or “opportunistic”.
Symptoms: Lists common clinical signs in five to ten words so you can quickly recognize typical presentations.
Transmission: Summarizes main spread routes, such as respiratory, fecal-oral, vector-borne, or contact, for quick practical context.
Last updated: March 9, 2026. Sources: ICTV, CDC, WHO, PubMed.
Viruses that start with S
| Name | Classification | Affects humans? | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARS-CoV-2 | Coronaviridae/Betacoronavirus/Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 | Yes (zoonotic) | respiratory droplets |
| SARS-CoV | Coronaviridae/Betacoronavirus/Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus | Yes (zoonotic) | respiratory droplets |
| Sin Nombre virus | Hantaviridae/Orthohantavirus/Sin Nombre orthohantavirus | Yes (zoonotic) | airborne |
| Seoul virus | Hantaviridae/Orthohantavirus/Seoul orthohantavirus | Yes (zoonotic) | airborne |
| SFTSV (Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus) | Phenuiviridae/Banyangvirus/Dabie bandavirus | Yes (zoonotic) | vector-borne (tick) |
| Sabia virus | Arenaviridae/Mammarenavirus/Sabia mammarenavirus | Yes (zoonotic) | airborne |
| Sindbis virus | Togaviridae/Alphavirus/Sindbis virus | Yes (mosquito-borne) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Semliki Forest virus | Togaviridae/Alphavirus/Semliki Forest virus | Yes (mosquito-borne) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Spondweni virus | Flaviviridae/Flavivirus/Spondweni virus | Yes (mosquito-borne) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| St. Louis encephalitis virus | Flaviviridae/Flavivirus/St. Louis encephalitis virus | Yes (mosquito-borne) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Sapporo virus | Caliciviridae/Sapovirus/Sapporo virus | Yes (human) | fecal–oral |
| Sapovirus | Caliciviridae/Sapovirus/Multiple species | Yes (human) | fecal–oral |
| Saffold virus | Picornaviridae/Cardiovirus/Saffold cardiovirus | Yes (human) | fecal–oral; respiratory droplets |
| Sendai virus | Paramyxoviridae/Respirovirus/Sendai virus | No (rodent virus) | respiratory droplets |
| Simian immunodeficiency virus | Retroviridae/Lentivirus/Simian immunodeficiency virus | No (nonhuman primate virus) | bloodborne; sexual; vertical |
| Simian foamy virus | Retroviridae/Spumaretrovirus/Simian foamy virus | Yes (zoonotic) | bloodborne; contact |
| SV40 (Simian virus 40) | Polyomaviridae/Polyomavirus/Simian virus 40 | No (nonhuman primate virus) | bloodborne |
| Seneca Valley virus | Picornaviridae/Senecavirus/Senecavirus A | No (swine virus) | contact |
| SADS-CoV | Coronaviridae/Alphacoronavirus/Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus | No (swine virus) | fecal–oral |
| Swine influenza virus | Orthomyxoviridae/Alphainfluenzavirus/Influenza A virus (swine lineage) | Yes (zoonotic) | respiratory droplets |
| Swine vesicular disease virus | Picornaviridae/Enterovirus/Swine vesicular disease virus | No (swine virus) | contact |
| Schmallenberg virus | Peribunyaviridae/Orthobunyavirus/Schmallenberg orthobunyavirus | No (livestock virus) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Shuni virus | Peribunyaviridae/Orthobunyavirus/Shuni orthobunyavirus | Yes (zoonotic) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Sandfly fever Sicilian virus | Phenuiviridae/Phlebovirus/Sicilian phlebovirus | Yes (vector-borne) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Sandfly fever Naples virus | Phenuiviridae/Phlebovirus/Sandfly fever Naples phlebovirus | Yes (vector-borne) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Salivirus | Picornaviridae/Salivirus/Salivirus A | Yes (human) | fecal–oral |
| Simbu virus | Peribunyaviridae/Orthobunyavirus/Simbu orthobunyavirus | No (animal virus) | vector-borne (mosquito) |
| Sapelovirus | Picornaviridae/Sapelovirus/Sapelovirus A | No (swine virus) | fecal–oral |
Descriptions
SARS-CoV-2
Cause of COVID-19; fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath; global pandemic virus first identified in 2019.
SARS-CoV
Caused 2002–2003 SARS outbreak; high fever, cough, shortness of breath, pneumonia; notable for hospital transmission and global spread.
Sin Nombre virus
North American hantavirus causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome; fever, myalgia, cough, rapid respiratory failure in severe cases; rodent-host origin.
Seoul virus
Rodent-borne hantavirus worldwide in rats; causes febrile illness and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome symptoms in some people.
SFTSV (Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus)
Tick-borne virus causing high fever, low platelets, bleeding; reported in East Asia with significant fatality in severe cases.
Sabia virus
Brazilian arenavirus causing hemorrhagic fever; fever, bleeding, malaise; rare but severe human infections reported.
Sindbis virus
Mosquito-transmitted virus causing fever, rash, joint pain; usually mild but can cause prolonged arthritis in some regions.
Semliki Forest virus
Mosquito-borne alphavirus causing fever, headache, rash, joint pain; sporadic human infections in Africa.
Spondweni virus
Related to Zika virus; causes fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis in occasional human cases after mosquito bites.
St. Louis encephalitis virus
Mosquito-borne flavivirus causing fever, headache, sometimes encephalitis; historically caused outbreaks in North America.
Sapporo virus
A sapovirus causing acute gastroenteritis: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, low fever; often in children and outbreaks in group settings.
Sapovirus
Group of caliciviruses causing vomiting and diarrhea in children and adults; common cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis.
Saffold virus
Human cardiovirus found in children; linked to mild respiratory and gastrointestinal illness and occasional neurologic symptoms.
Sendai virus
Mouse parainfluenza virus commonly used in labs; causes respiratory disease in rodents, rare human relevance.
Simian immunodeficiency virus
Lentivirus of nonhuman primates related to HIV; important for research and origin studies, not a common human pathogen.
Simian foamy virus
Common in primates and transmitted to humans by bites/contacts; usually asymptomatic but persistent infection occurs.
SV40 (Simian virus 40)
Polyomavirus discovered in monkeys and vaccine contaminants; human disease link uncertain, studied for historic exposures.
Seneca Valley virus
Virus of pigs causing vesicular disease; studied as an oncolytic in research but primarily a veterinary pathogen.
SADS-CoV
Emerging pig coronavirus causing severe diarrhea in piglets; notable for rapid pig mortality and research interest for zoonotic potential.
Swine influenza virus
Influenza A viruses in pigs can infect humans (swine flu); symptoms like seasonal flu: fever, cough, muscle aches; source of past pandemics.
Swine vesicular disease virus
Picornavirus causing hoof lesions and lameness in pigs; important in veterinary disease control, rare human relevance.
Schmallenberg virus
Virus of ruminants causing congenital malformations and abortion; emerged in Europe and affects sheep and cattle health.
Shuni virus
Orthobunyavirus that can infect livestock and occasionally humans; linked to neurologic disease and febrile illness after insect bites.
Sandfly fever Sicilian virus
Transmitted by sandflies causing fever, headache, myalgia; usually self-limited but can be disabling during outbreaks.
Sandfly fever Naples virus
Sandfly-transmitted virus causing febrile illness with headache and myalgia; historically significant in Mediterranean regions.
Salivirus
Detected in human stool and linked to pediatric gastroenteritis; typically causes vomiting and diarrhea in young children.
Simbu virus
Prototype of the Simbu serogroup that includes livestock pathogens; causes fever and reproductive losses in animals, occasional human exposure.
Sapelovirus
Porcine sapelovirus causing diarrhea and neurological signs in pigs; notable in veterinary diagnostics, limited human relevance.