What Is Coxsackievirus?
2. Definition of a Virus
A virus has a simple structure, consisting only of a piece of genetic material wrapped in a protein coat, and sometimes contained within a membrane. Viruses share many characteristics with living things, such as the ability to move and reproduce. They also contain genetic material made of either DNA or RNA. However, because they do not eat or breathe, they are not considered to be living organisms.
A virus can be thought of as more like a computer program than a life form. For example, a computer program does nothing until installed into a computer that reads the program and uses its own electricity and hardware to make copies. The copies are not babies that need to eat and grow, but rather are exact duplicates. In a similar way, a virus also has no life or energy of its own and exists only to be replicated by another organism.
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