
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,099
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Virulence: An Infectious Card Game
- 2–5 players
- 10–20 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for Cytosis: Virus Expansion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cytosis: Virus Expansion is an expansion for Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game released in 2017 for 2–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by John Coveyou and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Dice Rolling.
The Virus Expansion expands upon the base game for Cytosis. The expansion adds Influenza, Rhino Virus and Ebola. Player may pay ATP to build up their antibodies to each of the three viral strains. When a Virus attacks, all players will roll a number of antibody dice according to their level of health and add it to the antibodies they've accumulated throughout the game. The player with the highest antibody response will gain resources while the player with weakest antibody response will lose resources. —description from the publisher
Cytosis: Virus Expansion supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Cytosis: Virus Expansion is 60–90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Cytosis: Virus Expansion for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Cytosis: Virus Expansion has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Cytosis: Virus Expansion belongs to these categories: Economic, Educational, and Medical. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Dice Rolling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Cytosis: Virus Expansion are: John Coveyou. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Cytosis: Virus Expansion as an expansion for Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game to use it. Check that your edition of Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.