Viruses! By Claire Wong
- clairewong28398
- Nov 15, 2021
- 3 min read
Series One: Virus
No matter how grossed out you feel about infectious diseases, there’s no denying that they’re an integral part of our life. In this series of six short articles, I’ll be documenting the busy and bewildering lives of these microorganisms. First up, the virus!
We’re no stranger to the virus. In fact, we’re currently living in a world where this mischievous microorganism is ravaging our lives. Below you can find more information on a virus’ properties and its functions.
Infectious
A virus is infectious in nature. In essence, this means that a virus can be transmitted through a variety of mediums as listed below:
Physical contact: if you touch someone, you might get infected! I’d strongly suggest for you to keep your hands to yourself unless the situation renders it necessary in which case you should definitely wash your hands!
Food: if you eat your friend’s sandwich, the chances of an infection are quite high! Next time, prepare your own food.
Sexual intercourse: Deciding to engage with your partner sexually can have medical consequences that entail infections. If you choose to partake in sex, make sure to use protection and take necessary precautions.
Coughing and sneezing: if you see your classmate coughing or sneezing, it’s best to distance yourself from them. You might get infected if you fail to do so because germ particles can travel through the air and if ingested, you might have an infection.
Touching non sanitized surfaces: if you run your fingers on an uncleaned table, you could get an infection! Some viruses can stay on surfaces from a few hours to several days.
Non-Cellular
A virus is a non-cellular being, meaning that it exists without adopting a cellular form. To simplify this concept further, I’ll shed light on a couple of properties you might find in a cellular microorganism.
A cellular microorganism is defined by its organelles. Organelles are biological instruments that inhabit and perform certain tasks within a cell. Three examples of organelles are as listed below:
Cell membrane: they’re the security forces in a cell. Cell membranes are the ones who control what substance or microorganisms enter or leave the cell.
Cytoplasm: they’re like a container. The cytoplasm, a jelly-like fluid inside a cell, works to keep organelles contained in one place.
Nucleus: they’re the brains of the cell. The nucleus contains genetic information that is crucial to the functioning of the cell.
So how does this relate to a virus? Well, viruses don’t have a cell membrane, cytoplasm or nucleus, let alone any other organelle. In essence, they’re very mundane biological entities (an independent being that possesses all the conditions that guarantee individuality).
The Concept of “Living”
Though this has been a controversial topic in the ever-changing world of science, it is universally professed that viruses are non-living entities. You might pause for a moment, begging to ask why viruses are non-living matters? To put it simply, viruses cannot live by themselves. They need a cell to invade or a “host” to survive. Thus, they search for this host that will guarantee their existence. Once they have a target in view, they execute their devious plan: raid and replicate. I’ll explain the pertinence of these terms down below.
Raiding
To start “living”, viruses raid a cell. Once they invade a single cell, they seize control over its functions and exercise their new power arbitrarily. All the organelles are governed by the virus and ultimately, the cell falls victim to the predatory virus. They fall prey to the predatory virus because the immune system is unfamiliar to the virus and therefore, may take longer to find the appropriate cells that can end the virus’ reign. To illustrate this better, I’ll draw upon an example. Imagine you’ve come home from work and found all your personal belongings stolen and replaced. You walk inside and everything is completely foreign. Pictures of people you’ve never met before are hung on the once naked walls. This is what being a cell is like: all your organelles are stolen as the virus settles in and tries to replicate itself (with fruitful attempts, of course).
Replicating
Once the victorious virus has dominated the cell, it begins to replicate. In as little as 8 hours, the virus can build an army of viral cells and plan an attack on the body. Scary, isn’t it? Fortunately, you have your immune system and vaccines to defend your body from this foreign threat!
So… What next?
After reading this article, you’re probably thinking… what next? Given that you know the function of a virus now, perhaps it’s best to exercise caution when necessary. Stay safe out there and tune in next month for a part two on this series!
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