Difference between viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi:
Bacteria - Most bacteria consist of a ring of DNA surrounded by a cellular machinery, contained within a fatty membrane.
Virus- They consist of little more than a small piece of genetic material surrounded by a thin protein coating. Some are also surrounded by a thin and fatty envelop.
Fungi- A typical fungus consists of the hyphae, which form the fungal body. These hyphae's are microscopic walled tubes or filaments that are lined with plasma membrane and contain cytoplasm
Parasites- an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.
Why do viruses need a host cell to survive?
Viruses need a host cell to survive because they are not living. Since they are not living, they need a host cell to be able to reproduce.
Examples of common real world viruses:
-Cold
-Flu
Treatments for these can be cold medicine until your cold goes away or a flu shot to PREVENT getting the flu.
Bacterial infections:
- Salmonella
- Meningitis
-Strep throat
Treatments for these infections can be prescribed medicine from your doctor for strep throat, as well as prescribed antibiotics from your doctor for salmonella poisoning and Meningitis.
Parasitic infections:
-Parasitic infections may be caused by eating food contaminated by an infected person or animal. This may be treated by medicine from your doctor and over the counter medicine for stomach aches.
Fungal infections:
-Athletes foot
- Yeast infections
Yeast infections may be treated with over the counter ointments and you may purchase creams and lotions for athletes foot.
Examples of epidemics and pandemics:
An epidemic is the abnormally high level of a disease at a particular time.
A pandemic occurs when an epidemic spreads from one country to another and becomes prevalent around the world.
An example is New Zealand in the 2000's with hepatitis B.
Vectors for specific diseases:
Example are getting mosquito bites, ticks or fleas.
http://www.researchgate.net/post/Why_are_viruses_unable_to_survive_outside_their_hosts
Bacteria - Most bacteria consist of a ring of DNA surrounded by a cellular machinery, contained within a fatty membrane.
Virus- They consist of little more than a small piece of genetic material surrounded by a thin protein coating. Some are also surrounded by a thin and fatty envelop.
Fungi- A typical fungus consists of the hyphae, which form the fungal body. These hyphae's are microscopic walled tubes or filaments that are lined with plasma membrane and contain cytoplasm
Parasites- an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.
Why do viruses need a host cell to survive?
Viruses need a host cell to survive because they are not living. Since they are not living, they need a host cell to be able to reproduce.
Examples of common real world viruses:
-Cold
-Flu
Treatments for these can be cold medicine until your cold goes away or a flu shot to PREVENT getting the flu.
Bacterial infections:
- Salmonella
- Meningitis
-Strep throat
Treatments for these infections can be prescribed medicine from your doctor for strep throat, as well as prescribed antibiotics from your doctor for salmonella poisoning and Meningitis.
Parasitic infections:
-Parasitic infections may be caused by eating food contaminated by an infected person or animal. This may be treated by medicine from your doctor and over the counter medicine for stomach aches.
Fungal infections:
-Athletes foot
- Yeast infections
Yeast infections may be treated with over the counter ointments and you may purchase creams and lotions for athletes foot.
Examples of epidemics and pandemics:
An epidemic is the abnormally high level of a disease at a particular time.
A pandemic occurs when an epidemic spreads from one country to another and becomes prevalent around the world.
An example is New Zealand in the 2000's with hepatitis B.
Vectors for specific diseases:
Example are getting mosquito bites, ticks or fleas.
http://www.researchgate.net/post/Why_are_viruses_unable_to_survive_outside_their_hosts