ISSUE 04 | APRIL 2020
BIKERS CLUB ® MAGAZINE | PAGE 25
Why are some viruses so
deadly?
The most important ones to humans
are the ones that infect us. Some
families of viruses, such as herpes
viruses, can stay dormant in the body
for long periods of time without
causing negative effects.
How much harm a virus or other
pathogen can do is often described as
its virulence. This depends not only on
how much harm it does to an
infected person but also on how well
the virus can avoid the body's
defences, replicate itself and spread
to other carriers.
In evolutionary terms, there is often a
trade-off for a virus between
replicating and doing harm to the
host. A virus that replicates like crazy
and kills its host very quickly may not
have an opportunity to spread to a
new host. On the other hand, a virus
that replicates slowly and causes little
harm may have plenty of time to
spread.
"WARNING!!! This is a Virus"
How do viruses spread?
Once a person is infected with a virus, their body becomes a
reservoir of virus particles which can be released in bodily fluids -
such as by coughing and sneezing - or by shedding skin or in cases
even touching surfaces.
The virus particles may then either end up on a new potential host
or an inanimate object. These contaminated objects are known as
fomites and can play an important role in the spread of disease.
What is coronavirus?
The coronavirus COVID-19 is a member of the virus family
coronaviridae, or coronaviruses. The name comes from the
appearance of the virus particles under a microscope; tiny protein
protrusions on their surfaces mean they appear surrounded by a
halo-like corona.