Question

Can viruses be called parasites in a certain way ?

Answer 1

Dear student,Viruses can live outside of the human body (such as on a countertop) sometimes for many hours or days. But parasites need a living host in order to survive. Parasites can be destroyed with antibiotics. But antibiotics can’t kill viruses. Viruses are similar to obligate intracellular parasites as they lack the means for self-reproduction outside a host cell, but unlike parasites, viruses are generally not considered to be true living organisms.Regards