[1][page needed] This state can be a stage of virus replication, or a state that persists over longer periods of time as either inactive viral infections or an endogenous viral element.
A provirus does not directly make new DNA copies of itself while integrated into a host genome in this way.
A latent infection may become productive in response to changes in the host's environmental conditions or health; the provirus may be activated and begin transcription of its viral genome.
Proviruses may account for approximately 8% of the human genome in the form of inherited endogenous retroviruses.
All families of bacterial viruses with circular (single-stranded or double-stranded) DNA genomes or replicating their genomes through a circular intermediate (e.g., tailed dsDNA viruses) have temperate members.