Final answer:
A viral infection without new virion production can be a latent infection, typically associated with animal viruses like herpes simplex, or a lysogenic infection in the context of bacteriophages(option A).
Step-by-step explanation:
A viral infection which does not result in the production of new virions is known as a latent infection or sometimes a lysogenic infection, depending on the context(Option A).
In the case of latent infections, the virus, such as the herpes simplex viruses which cause herpes in humans, remains dormant in the host cells without producing new virions for an extended period. This state can be sustained until the virus becomes reactivated and then causes symptoms. The term lysogenic cycle typically refers to bacteriophages and implies the incorporation of viral genome into the host cell's genome, which could eventually produce new virions when the virus leaves the lysogenic state and enters the lytic cycle.
Even though both latent viruses and lysogenic cycles can involve periods without the production of new virions, the key difference is that latency is a term more commonly associated with animal viruses, while lysogeny generally refers to the interaction between bacteriophages and bacteria. The lytic cycle, on the other hand, is characterized by active replication of the virus leading to production of new virions and often resulting in the destruction of the host cell.