• Discovery of Viruses
• Introduction to Viruses
• Structure of Viruses
• Classification of Viruses
• Viral Disease
For the complete syllabus, check out our PMDC MDCAT Syllabus 2025 article.
Viruses have characteristics of both living and non-living things. Let's compare these characteristics for better understanding.
Living characteristics of viruses:
- Viruses can reproduce by utilizing the contents of host cells, similar to living organisms.
- They possess genetic material (DNA or RNA), which can mutate over time.
- Viruses interact genetically and physiologically with the organisms they infect.
- As intracellular parasites, viruses can be damaged by ultraviolet rays, much like other living cells.
Non-living characteristics of viruses:
- Viruses can remain inactive for extended periods without replicating.
- They lack cellular organelles and cannot perform metabolism or generate energy molecules.
- They do not exhibit vital activities such as respiration, excretion, or movement.
- Outside of a host cell, viruses exist as non-living, non-reactive particles.
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