What Are The Major Characteristics Of Viruses?

There are many characteristics of viruses, which can be discussed here, but major characteristics of viruses are as follows:
1. Viruses are extremely small infectious agents, which are only visible under electron microscope.
2. Their size range from 250 to the 20 nm of parvoviruses.
3. They are 10 to 1000 times smaller than most bacteria, so they can pass through the pores of filter, from which bacteria cannot pass.
4. Viruses cannot be grown on artificial media.

5. They produce only in animal and plant cells or in microorganisms, where they reproduce by replication (a process by which many copies or replicas of virus are formed).
6. The viruses are obligate intracellular parasites.
7. Viruses lack metabolic machinery for the synthesis of their own nucleic acid and protein.
8. They depend on the host cell to carry out these vital functions.
9. During reproduction in the host cells, viruses may cause disease.
10. All viruses are generally resistant to broad range of available antibiotics such as penicillin, streptomycin and others.

Add Comment

Report