Zvirwere zvinogona kuiswa mumapoka zvichienderana nesero ravanorwarisa: mavhairasi emhuka, mavhairasi emiti, mavhairasi ehonye, uye mabhakitiriya (mavhairasi anorwarisa mabhakitiriya, ayo anosanganisira mavhairasi akaomesesa). Kumwe kuiswa mumapoka kunoshandisa chimiro chechimiro che capsid yavo (kazhinji helical kana icosahedron) kana chimiro chehutachiona (semuenzaniso kuvapo kana kusavapo kwehomwe yemapapiro). Mavirusi muhukuru kubva pamakumi matatu nanometer kusvika pamakumi mana nemakumi mashanu nanometer, zvinoreva kuti mazhinji acho haagone kuonekwa nemakirosikopu emwenje. Chimiro uye chimiro chehutachiona chakadzidzwa neelectron microscopy, NMR spectroscopy, uye X-ray crystallography.
30 nm kusvika panenge pa 450 nm