Journal profile · Virology
Virology
ISSN 0042-6822 · eISSN 1096-0341 · Academic Press Inc. · UNITED STATES · Semimonthly · Founded 1955
Virology: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.64; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,160; median 95 days to acceptance (105 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 40%; 313 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Virology is published by Academic Press Inc. and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Virus-based gene therapy research, Plant Virus Research Studies and Bacteriophages and microbial interactions, together about 29.4% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
An Affiliated Journal of the World Society for Virology Launched in 1955, Virology is a broad and inclusive journal that welcomes submissions on all aspects of virology including plant, animal, microbial and human viruses. The journal publishes basic research as well as pre-clinical and clinical studies of vaccines, anti-viral drugs and their development, anti-viral therapies, and computational studies of virus infections. Any submission that is of broad interest to the community of virologists/vaccinologists and reporting scientifically accurate and valuable research will be considered for publication, including negative findings and multidisciplinary work. Virology is open to reviews, research manuscripts, short communication, registered reports as well as follow-up manuscripts.For more information on article types, please visit our guide for authors: https://www.elsevier.com/journals/virology/0042-6822/guide-for-authors Virology offers guaranteed peer review of Follow-Up as well as Research Articles, provided the Corresponding Author is the same and the new manuscript is submitted within 24 months of the previous paper getting accepted.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Virology
Editorial board by country: 14 in mainland China (about 18%); most named United States 35, Mainland China 14, India 6, Italy 3, Canada 3 (79 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Virus-based gene therapy researchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology11%
- Plant Virus Research StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences10%
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsEnvironmental Science8.4%
- Animal Virus Infections StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.8%
- Herpesvirus Infections and TreatmentsMedicine6%
- HIV Research and TreatmentImmunology and Microbiology5.9%
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiologyMedicine5.5%
- Viral Infections and Immunology ResearchMedicine4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Virology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Virology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Virology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.64LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.72LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.68LetPub ·
- h-index
- 162LetPub ·
- h-index
- 288OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 23,477OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.98OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 25.6%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 289LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 30,227 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 247 | 84 | 69 |
| 2025 | 313 | 153 | 855 |
| 2024 | 322 | 322 | 1,702 |
| 2023 | 227 | 226 | 1,807 |
| 2022 | 161 | 161 | 1,895 |
| 2021 | 199 | 188 | 3,003 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
95 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 75 days – 120 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (105 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 98 days
- Sample
- 105 articles with submission and acceptance dates (679 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 40%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 42 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 93 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,160 / EUR 2,960 / GBP 2,530 / JPY 391,930 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,290 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
- Viruses Challenging the WorldDeadline
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted9
- brief communicationVirology publishes four forms of manuscripts: (a) research manuscripts; (b) brief communications consisting of short but complete studies; (c) reviews; (d) regi…Length not stated
- brief communicationsBrief Communications are short self-contained studies of significant and timely findings. Brief communications should have a maximum of 4 presentation items (a …Length not stated
- follow-up manuscriptsFollow-up manuscripts are the continuation of published research manuscripts in the same journal. They capture new research findings that support the previously…Length not stated
- hypothesisVirology publishes four forms of manuscripts: (a) research manuscripts; (b) brief communications consisting of short but complete studies; (c) reviews; (d) regi…Length not stated
- registered reportVirology publishes four forms of manuscripts: (a) research manuscripts; (b) brief communications consisting of short but complete studies; (c) reviews; (d) regi…Length not stated
- registered reportsThis journal supports Registered Reports as article type, allowing you to have your research reviewed and pre-registered prior to conducting your experiments.Length not stated
- research manuscriptsResearch manuscripts present the results of original basic research in all areas of virology described above that break new ground and serve as a valuable addit…Length not stated
- reviewVirology publishes four forms of manuscripts: (a) research manuscripts; (b) brief communications consisting of short but complete studies; (c) reviews; (d) regi…Length not stated
- reviewsReviews describe cutting-edge developments and themes of interest to virologists. The goal of a review is to focus on a sharply defined topic and to make the in…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Single corresponding author Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics policy Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Open access license options Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Academic Press Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1955
- ISSN
- 0042-6822
- Electronic ISSN
- 1096-0341
- Society / sponsor
- World Society for Virology
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Virology
What CAS zone is Virology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Virology is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Virology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Virology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.64; CiteScore 4.2, h-index 288.
How long does peer review take at Virology?
Based on the dates recorded on 105 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 95 days (interquartile range 75–120 days); authors report an average review time of about 1 month; the community-reported acceptance is “about 40%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Virology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Virology based?
Of the 79 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 14 (about 18%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (35), Mainland China (14) and India (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Virology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Virology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Virology open access, and what is the APC?
Virology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,160.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .