Viruses

media type="custom" key="3036110" ·A v irus is a n onliving particle that requires a host cell in order to reproduce. Viruses are made of a __nucleic acid__ (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a __protein__ shell or coat known as a __CAPSID__  ·   Viral infections include all colds and flu, most coughs, and most sore throats. Usually viruses involve several parts of the body. Also antibiotics cannot kill viruses · The three types of viruses are bacteriophages, animal viruses, and retroviruses. A bacteriophage is a virus that specifically attacks bacteria and is almost like a needle and injects DNA into the cell  · Viruses have three s hapes; polyhedral, rod, and complex   · Viruses replicate through the lytic cycle which immediately makes more viruses and destroys the host cell. Also v iruses have a sticky surface. Viruses may also lay dormant before reproducing  · Vaccines are the only way to p revent viruses. A vaccine is full of dead or crippled virus cells  · One e xample of a virus is HIV, or Human Immuno-deficiency Virus. HIV is a retrovirus and has single stranded RNA.  · A virus uses Reverse Transcriptase; makes DNA from RNA media type="youtube" key="G6fRPIpZsEI" height="344" width="425" Bacteriophage Animation