Vīrus comes from the same Indo-European root as Sanskrit वि॒ष (viṣa), Avestan 𐬬𐬌𐬱𐬀 (vīša), and Ancient Greek ἰός (iós), which all mean 'poison'.

Dec 3, 2025 · What is a virus? A virus is an infectious agent of small size and simple composition that can multiply only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria. What are viruses made of? …

Apr 12, 2025 · They are viruses—microscopic entities that pack an enormous punch. But what exactly is a virus? Is it a living organism? A rogue piece of code? A biological parasite? The …

2 days ago · A virus is an infectious microbe consisting of a segment of nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat. A virus cannot replicate alone; instead, it must infect …

Mar 29, 2023 · Viruses are microscopic organisms that can infect hosts, like humans, plants or animals. They’re a small piece of genetic information (DNA or RNA) inside of a protective shell …

Jun 26, 2024 · To date, five dsDNA human virus families have been identified, which include adenoviridae, herpesviridae, papillomaviridae, parvoviridae, and poxiviridae. Picobirnaviridae, …

Viruses are typically described as obligate intracellular parasites, acellular infectious agents that require the presence of a host cell in order to multiply.

Viruses are the smallest of all the microbes. They are said to be so small that 500 million rhinoviruses (which cause the common cold) could fit onto the head of a pin. Viruses vary in …

Oct 19, 2023 · Viruses are microscopic biological agents that invade living hosts and infect their bodies by reproducing within their cell tissue. Viruses are tiny infectious agents that rely on …

Current thinking suggests viruses should be considered part of a complex living system, one that extends between all organisms. 'Virions' are the inactive particles that move through the …