Virus (Lat. Virus - Mucous Liquid, Poison)

A virus is a tiny infectious agent consisting of a nucleic acid enclosed in a protein shell. Viruses can reproduce and mutate only inside a living host cell, using its mechanisms to synthesize their own components.

The virus enters the cell and introduces its nucleic acid inside it. This nucleic acid then causes the cell to produce new virus components, which assemble into new virus particles. After the assembly of new viruses, they are released from the cell, which leads to cell death.

The released viruses infect new cells and the process repeats. This is how the virus multiplies quickly in the host’s body. Mutations of viruses can lead to the emergence of new, more dangerous strains. Therefore, viruses pose a serious threat to human and animal health.