VIRUSES

What living things do you see in this picture?

What are the characteristics of living

organisms?

Characteristics of living organisms

Maintain homeostasis Reproduction Cellular organization Metabolism (use energy) Contain genetic information

What about viruses?

Like Living Organisms:

•Replication •Contain Genetic Information

•Viruses are not made of cells• They cannot make proteins by themselves•and They cannot use energy

Like Non-Living Organisms:

How are viruses transmitted?

Airborne

Contaminated food or water

Vectors or infected animal bite

Sexual contact

Contaminated blood products

Some Diseases caused by Viruses

Polio Chicken Pox Measles Rabies Mumps Influenza

Smallpox Hapatitis Yellow Fever AIDS Ebola

Vaccines

Definition Preparation of

killed or weakened pathogens introduced into the body to produce immunity.

Why do vaccines NOT protect against all viral diseases? Vaccination is effective

only against viruses with non-varying proteins on their surfaces. If the surface proteins

mutate often the new changes are not recognized by the immune system.

Examples: Colds, Flu, and HIV