Viruses

Viruses (singular: the virus, outside the technical language also the virus; plural: viruses; from lat. virus, -i, n. "poison, juice, mucus") are particles, but not cells themselves.

Viruses contain the program (some viruses also contain further auxiliary components) for their multiplication and spread, but do not have their own metabolism and are therefore dependent on the metabolism of the host cell. They are thus intracellular parasites that reprogram the reproductive mechanism of the host cell in order to reproduce in it.

Viren befallen Zellen von Eukaryoten (Pflanzen, Tiere, Menschen, Pilze) und Prokaryoten (Bakterien und Archaeen). Viren, die Prokaryoten als Wirte nutzen, werden Bakteriophagen genannt. Die Wissenschaft, die sich mit den Viren beschäftigt, ist die Virologie.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viren _{(Wikipedia CC-by-sa-3.0)}