Bio Blog Thingy

“Virus” is a word many people are familiar with. Coronavirus was the disease that led to a global pandemic for two years. Influenza Virus (or the Flu) is a common sickness that many people get. But even though this word is so common, it is also a topic of debate in the scientific community, specifically: are viruses living things? In this post, we will discuss what viruses are, how they are treated, and discuss if they are living or not.

What are viruses?

Viruses, by definition, are “microscopic organisms that can infect hosts, like humans, plants or animals. They’re a small piece of genetic information (DNA or RNA) inside of a protective shell (capsid).”

Viruses come in many shapes and sizes, and some common symptoms in humans across viruses include fevers, coughing, sore throats, congestion, and chills. Different viruses will also have different effects though. For example, rabies, an illness that is caused by a virus, can cause hallucinations, anxiety, and seizures.

Are Viruses living things?

This is a topic of debate in the scientific community, with people arguing for either side. There are valid arguments to both sides, both of which we will explore.

Why Viruses could be considered living

Viruses possess genetic material (DNA and RNA)

Just like all living things, viruses carry genetic material. This genetic material can be replicated or passed on.

Viruses can change and adapt

Viruses can go through mutations and adapt to different hosts, just as many living things can. Viruses often have multiple variants of the same virus that have slightly different characteristics. An example of this would be Coronavirus, which has different variants: Omicron, Delta, and Alpha, to name a few.

Why Viruses could be considered nonliving

Viruses aren’t made of cells

Cells are considered to be the basic building block of life. Viruses are not comprised of cells, so this is one reason people consider viruses to be nonliving.

Viruses are dependent on the cells of their hosts for reproduction

Another characteristic that is often attributed to living things is the ability to reproduce. Viruses are unable to reproduce by themself, and instead reproduce by infecting the host cells and reprogramming them to make copies of the virus.

Viruses have no independent metabolism

Homeostasis, or an organism’s ability to maintain a stable internal environment, is one more characteristic often attributed to living things. A big part of homeostasis is metabolism, which is the chemical reactions that take place inside an organism that are essential to life. A virus is unable to do these things, and instead rely on the host cell for energy production.

How are viruses treated?

Viruses are most commonly treated through antiviral medications and symptom management. Many viruses will resolve themselves on their own, and taking over-the-counter medications can help relieve symptoms like congestion and sore throat until that happens. Antiviral medications such as Tamiflu to treat influenza can also help to destroy the virus. Antiviral medications work by strengthening your immune system and blocking receptors, which keeps viruses from infecting healthy cells.

Conclusion

Viruses are a regular part of people’s lives, and understanding them is extremely important. When they have been studied, viruses are harmless; but ones we have yet to explore can cause global pandemics. There are many aspects of viruses we have yet to understand, but continuing to learn and try to understand them can help treat illnesses and save lives.