What are viruses?

Viruses are highly organized, microscopic entities that infect various life forms, including humans. They are much smaller than bacteria and require electron microscopes for observation. Viruses, such as HIV, measles, SARS, and H1N1, are parasitic and cannot reproduce without a host. Bacteriophages infect bacteria, while coronaviruses affect humans, causing respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. Vaccines have been crucial in combating viral diseases. Structurally, viruses contain genetic material (DNA or RNA) and vary in complexity. Coronaviruses have a unique structure with a nucleocapsid and peplomers.

What are coronaviruses and how do they infect human cells?

What advancements have been made in fighting viral diseases according to the text?

How do the structures of coronaviruses differ from other types of viruses?