Faran Ahmad S-150515 Grade: 9-A ICSE

What is a
virus?
What is a virus?

• Viruses are tiny particles that can infect

not only humans, but also plants and
animals and cause them a disease.

• Viruses are created of a genetic material

RNA, which is protected by a protein
wrapping.
Are Viruses alive?
• Viruses rely on the cells of other organisms to survive and reproduce,
because they can’t capture or store energy themselves. In other words
they cannot function outside a host organism, which is why they are
often regarded as non-living.
What are Viruses made of?
• At the core of a virus an outer envelope made • That’s one reason
particle is the genome, of lipids, which are fatty washing your hands with
the long molecule made organic molecules. soap is so effective!
of DNA or RNA that • The coronavirus that
contains the genetic causes COVID-19 is one
instructions for of these “enveloped”
reproducing the virus. viruses.
This is wrapped up in a
coat made of protein • Soap can dissolve this
molecules called a fatty envelope, leading
capsid, which protects to the destruction of the
the genetic material. whole virus particle.
• Some viruses also have
How do they infect organisms?
• Viruses abduct more viruses and • With the Flu, it can be
specific cells of living spread them to infect sneezing, headache,
organisms. Then, them further. raised temperature.
insert their genetic • As more and more
information into the cells are infected, the
cell, overwrite it and immune system starts
take control. to tackle them and
• Cell becomes an signs of health issues
unwilling host, which occur.
is forced to make
LIFE CYCLE OF
A VIRUS
 Why are some viruses so deadly?
• The most important ones to humans are the ones that infect us. Some families of viruses, such as
herpes viruses, can stay dormant in the body for long periods of time without causing negative effects.
• How much harm a virus or other pathogen can do is often described as its virulence. This depends not
only on how much harm it does to an infected person, but also on how well the virus can avoid the
body’s defences, replicate itself and spread to other carriers.
• In evolutionary terms, there is often a trade-off for a virus between replicating and doing harm to the
host.
• A virus that replicates like crazy and kills its host very quickly may not have an opportunity to spread to
a new host.
• On the other hand, a virus that replicates slowly and causes little harm may have plenty of time to
spread.