Viruses: Characteristics, Properties, and Disease Association Report

This report delves into the characteristics and properties of viruses, differentiating them from bacteria. It highlights that viruses require a host to reproduce, unlike bacteria. The report covers the structure and genetic material of viruses, including examples of diseases they cause, such as Small Pox and AIDS. It also provides a comparative analysis between viruses and bacteria, detailing their differences in size, cellular structure, and mode of reproduction. The report concludes with a list of viruses and the diseases they cause. This assignment is available on Desklib, a platform for students to access study resources.

Viruses
A virus is a small parasite that needs a susceptible cell to thrive and multiply its strength because
it cannot reproduce by itself. Most of the viruses are infectious agents that multiply inside a
living cell by encoding proteins to spread their genetic material RNA or DNA. Viruses are non-
living organisms that seek for a host where it can develop a colony and reproduce itself
(Engelkirk, 2011, p. 158). A simple virus can carry four proteins for encoding, whereas in the
case of complex viruses we can find 200 proteins.
Common differences between Bacteria and Virus based on the properties
 Bacteria don’t need a living organism as a host to reproduce themselves. Viruses need a
host for the same purpose.
 Bacteria are larger in comparison with the viruses. Bacteria can be seen under light
microscopes. Viruses can be seen under electron microscopes.
 Bacteria have a unicellular structure, virus, on the other hand, don’t have cells.
 Bacteria mostly cause localized infections, viruses, on the other hand, causes systematic
infections like AIDS, Chickenpox, etc.
 Bacteria carry a chromosome as genetic material, virus, on the other hand, carries RNA
and DNA as the genetic material (Engelkirk, 2011, p. 170).
 Bacteria are living organisms; viruses are a cross between living and non-living
organisms.
 Each bacteria carries complete cellular machinery, Viruses doesn’t have complete
cellular machinery.

 Bacteria reproduce with the help of Fission which is asexual reproduction, Viruses
thrives by inflicting a reproduction that is dependent upon the host cell.
List of the Viruses and the disease
Name of the Disease Virus
Small Pox Variola
AIDS HIV ( Human immune deficiency virus
EBOLA Genus Ebolavirus

References
Engelkirk, P. (2011). Microbiology for the health sciences. New York: Wolters Kluwer. P-150
Engelkirk, P. (2011). Microbiology for the health sciences. New York: Wolters Kluwer. P-178