Stopping the Spread of Viruses
We’ve all experienced the potential for viruses. Whether it’s catching the flu or strep throat, these contagious illnesses come from incredibly small, almost alien-like creatures. This COVID-19 pandemic has shown us just how powerful these microbes can be.
But, what really is a virus? Viruses range from 25 to 200 nanometers. To put that into perspective: viruses are about 10,000 times smaller than a grain of salt. The structure of a virus is actually quite simple. Some viruses have envelopes, which are barriers that protect it. The capsid is a protein shell that carries the genetic material. The genetic material contains all the instructions for the virus to carry out its job of replicating. To replicate, it attaches itself to a host cell and inserts its genetic material into that cell. Now the virus can replicate itself, infecting the organism it attaches to. And it replicates pretty fast!
Viruses have different mechanisms of infection, including airborne transmission and bodily and object contact. For example, if someone sneezes on a surface, and someone else touches that same surface and then touches their face, they could be infected.
We’ve seen a lot of bad things about viruses so far, so why should we continue to study them? Learning more about a specific microbe can create vaccines for that virus. If you take a vaccine, you are less likely to contract that virus. Also, viruses aren’t all bad. Friendly viruses protect us against harmful bacteria, some of which are deadly.
Without viruses, we wouldn’t be here. So, let’s continue to learn more about these microscopic creatures, for our knowledge and the security of our future generations!
Sources: “Virus.” Genome.gov, https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Virus 
.
“Vaccines and Immunization: What Is Vaccination?” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/vaccines-and-immunization-what-is-vaccination .
“Virus.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/science/virus
Scientific Peer Review by Alysia Mandato
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