The Trouble with Viruses (PMA)

Watch the video below: Flu Virus

In at least 150 words please state whether you agree with the following statement or not and explain why.

Viruses present a far greater threat than other types of pathogen (e.g. bacteria, fungi, protist) to the human population.

You may have to research further on the internet to answer this question effectively. If you do please include references.

DUE DATE: You must post a reply by the start of your second class during Week 29 (11/10/10)

I think that viruses are more harmful than other pathogens like bacterias because of many reasons:
First of all, as viruses cant multiply on their own, they go inside host cells to multiply themselves, getting deeper into our body. Also, treating viruses is very difficult as they are not living things, so usually the treatment of virus infections is usually left up to the patient's own immune system. On the other hand, treating a bacterial infection is much easier because they are usually treated with a special antibiotic that kills the bacterium that has caused the disease, which cant be applied on the treatment of viruses.




http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/virusbacteria.htm

Viruses present a far greater threat than other types of pathogen (e.g. bacteria, fungi, protist) to the human population.


As we have seen in the video, viruses are not able to multiply on their own, as bacteria do. They have to invade a "host" cell, and use it, in order to reproduce themselves. Bacterias have the ability to multiply themselves; but the thing that makes it different from viruses, is that most of them are harmless and some are also helpful for our bodies.
Another thing that makes this two different, and viruses more dangerous, is that bacteria can be treated with antibiotics. Viruses do not have a cure, there might be vaccines to prevent them, but there is no drug to cure this viruses; the treatment is to stay isolated.
The fact that viruses are more difficult to get rid off, makes it a greater threat than other types of pathogens fpr our bodies. Treatment is one of the main reasons that make viruses more harmful, than other pathogens.

In my opinion, viruses represent a much more threatening Danger to the human body than other pathogens, such as fungi or bacteria.
My opinion is based on the fact that unlike any other pathogens, the virus can't reproduce by itself, so instead it uses a cell inside our bodies to "host" itself in it and multiply. This means that apart from entering the body, the virus uses our own body against us, causing more harm than other infections.
Another important fact is that the virus, being a non living thing, can't be eliminated by the use of drugs, therefore we have to deal with them by using only our inmune system.

Viruses do present a far greater threat to the human population than other types of pathogen because of the speed at which they spread. A single virus has the recipe to produce thousands and thousands of new little viruses. This makes it very difficult to control and to stop it. Also the fact that they have this kind of "key" and that human cells have this kind of "lock" makes it even easier for viruses to enter the body as their key is recognized by the body. It is kind of a free pass. However, the body will only recognize it is a virus once it has passed the cell barrier, this means danger. Once crossed the cell barrier, the body will activate its protection system and will attack and destroy the virus and new viruses growing. The best part of this event is that our immune system works faster (usually) than the spreading of the virus, so this means that thanks to our immune system we can defeat the virus, but when this does not happen, it is when we get sick.
In conclusion, viruses are more of a threat to the human population that other pathogens because of the speed at which they multiply and reproduce.

A virus is way more dangerous than other pathogens such as bacteria.
Viruses need to get inside host cell to be able to multiply themselves, otherwise they cant. This is more dangerous since they get deeper into our body. As viruses are not living cells, the treatment for a virus is much more difficult. It is up to our own immune system. A bacteria instead is much more easy to treat so less dangerous. With antibiotics and other treatments the bacteria which causes the disease is usually killed. This is impossible to do with a virus so you dont have a medical treatement to it.

Viruses are more harmfull than pathogens and other bacteria.Virus are very dangerous as they travel through the air so anyone can catch it.Also a single virus can reproduce rather very easily on a cell and reproduce to millions of virus cells leaving a human completely infected.Also as virus are dead organisims its more difficult to denature them . Bacteria are much less harmfull than viruses as they can be easily denatured as they arre treated with antibiotics, and viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics.A single virus cell can make a disaster and also they get inside and deeper in our body, making more damages.So viruses resent a treat more to population than a bacteria.

I think that viruses DO present a far greater threat than other types of pathogen to the human population, as a virus inside the body replicates using a cell inside our bodies and multiply almost a million times, as well it is a death organism, they are smaller than bacterias and invade cells, as well viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics as bacterias can so it is more difficult and slower to get rid of a virus...it is our immune system that reacts before the virus gets to pass the cell barrier and defeats the virus, and if that does not happen, we get sick... so viruses are a major threat in our body than other pathogens..

Viruses present a far greater threat than other pathogen such as bacteria or fungi to the human population. This is mainly because they reproduce extremely fast and at high rates on their own and because they need a host where to do so. Viruses are dead organisms and can be in our bodies for long, without affecting us directly but when a single virus enters into a “host” cell using a mechanism of key and lock as the video shows, it then produces millions and millions of viruses. The only way to fight viruses is with our own immunological system but they can cause problems when replicating DNA, because they can get involved with our DNA. When the virus crosses the cell which is going to act as the host, the body will alert the protection system and this one will destroy the virus, if not or too late, we will get sick. Unlike viruses, bacteria’s can be treated with antibiotics so it is much easier to control a bacteria reproduction than a virus one. Also, some bacteria are good and useful to our bodies. Viruses are much easier to transmit than some fungi, bacteria and protist because they are found in air droplets which surround us all time so the chance to catch a virus is high. So viruses are actually much more threatening and harmful than other pathogens.

Nati Ruiseñor 3E

i think viruses are far more dangerous than other pathogens. mainly, because they "become part of the cell" and our inmune system can not kill it. also, there are some bacteria that are necessary for normal functioning of our bodies, for example, the intestinal flora, which helps break down some nutrients. but there is no virus that is helpful. also, viruses are not alive, therefore, they can be killed. and there is no cure for a virus. once you have it, you will have it all your life. but probably you will present symptoms only when your inmune system is weakened.

Viruses present a far greater threat than other types of pathogen (e.g. bacteria, fungi, protist) to the human population.

Bacteria is more dangerous than virus. Viruses cannot reproduce by themeselves alone, they have to get to a host cell to do so. But bacteria can divide themeselves, they are very different to viruses beucause apart from trhem being sometimes useful to our body they are nearly harmless.We can algo use antibiotics. Viruses dont haver cure but we can have medicines to calm the symptoms and signs of it in our bodies for example vaccines that prevent them...but there is no treatment for it. We can only prevent it from spreading to others by staying isolated in our homes and not have contact bbecause they spread very easily by the air or contact.
This is why viruses are more dangerpous to our bodies than bacteria, they have no treatment and its difficult to kill them.

Viruses present a far greater threat than other types of pathogen (e.g. bacteria, fungi, protist) to the human population

i think that virus present a greater threat than other types of pathogens because virus can enters your body as one, and then it replicates very fast by it own, reproducing and then they are million of virus that your body has to fight and defeat. it is good that we have a immune system in our body that can fight agains the virus, but in some cases like in the hiv virus the body cant fight it and it does not leave your body, and it replicates so fast that once you have it there is nothing you can do. bacteria and other type of pathogens can be treated better and they dont replicate so fast, and this is another thing that makes me think that virus is more dangerous.

Viruses are more dangerous than bacteria and other pathoges, because they can't be directly treated like bacteria with antibiotics. It can't be killed and only the symptoms can be treated, so you have to count with a strong immune system to fight them. There are cases in which the virus is stronger than the immune system such as with HIV/AIDS, so the disease has no treatment at all, only trying to avoid other diseases. If you have another pathogen like bacteria, it can be dangerous too but there certainly is a direct way to fight it, by using the antibiotic that will be able to kill the bacteria if used correctly.

for me, viruses represent a much more threatening danger to the humans than other dreadful contagious specimens.
My opinion is based on the fact that unlike any other pathogens, the virus can't reproduce by itself, so instead it uses a cell inside our bodies to "host" itself in it and multiply. also viruses aren't alive, so technically you can't kill them, so it is more difficult to fight against them.