Are Viruses Alive?

Virus in Latin means ‘poison’. This name was coined, as viruses were responsible for spreading a number of diseases. Viruses, infectious microbes, contain a nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) that is surrounded by a protein coat. As it cannot replicate itself, viruses uses the components of the host cell to duplicate itself by infecting it. The host is killed in this process. Viruses infect humans, bacteria, fungi and many other organisms. 

In the 19th century, researchers began to realize that certain diseases such as foot-and-mouth and rabies were caused by viruses. These microbes were clearly biological and could be spread from one victim to another with visible biological effects. They were then considered to be all living, gene-bearing life forms.

However, viruses do not have nuclei, cytoplasm or other organelles. They have no way to monitor or change their internal environment. Viruses also do not grow. They also do not reproduce but duplicate themselves with the help of host cells. Therefore, most biologists would say that viruses are not living despite their biological effects on other organisms.

Works Cited

Graham, B. (2019). Virus. [online] National Human Genome Research Institute. Available at: https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Virus.

Khan Academy. (2016). Are Viruses Dead or alive? [online] Available at: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/cells/viruses/a/are-viruses-dead-or-alive.

Villarreal, L.P. (2008). Are Viruses Alive? [online] Scientific American. Available at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive-2004/.