Viruses
By: Dina Angelis
What is a virus?
A virus is a small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of other organisms. Viruses can infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea.
How can you catch a virus?
- A virus is passed around by a person with a cold coughing or sneezing on you.
- Shaking hands
- Touching an infected surface
- Touching the food with dirty hands that you or someone else is going to eat
Viruses can also be spread by making contact with someone else's body fluids. (especially sexual transmitted diseases like herpes and HIV)
What happens when a virus is in your system?
After the virus has entered your body it will try and find a host cell to enter and start its process of infecting you. It does this by attaching to the host cell and releasing genetic instructions. The injection material take on the host cell's enzymes. Then, the enzymes make parts to allow for more new virus particle.Then, the particles put together the parts into the new viruses. Then, the new particles break free from the host cells and continue their process.
Life cycles of a Virus!
http://biology.kenyon.edu/HHMI/Biol113/2virus.htm
(Lytic and Lysogenic)
Reduce risk of spreading a virus by...
- Cover your mouth or nose when you sneeze or cough.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after going to the bathroom or preparing food.
- Avoid contact with the bodily fluids of others.
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