How to Get Rid of Viruses Fast

Photo Credit: By catherinecml

In this article, we will discuss how to kill a virus.

You see, any seasonal change triggers viral infections. Kids, the elderly, and people with diabetes are highly vulnerable to viral illnesses. Viral infections may last a week or two. However, the symptoms may disrupt your daily routine, making you want to get rid of it as fast as possible. Unfortunately, antibiotics do not affect viruses, so prevention is the best cure for a viral infection.

You see, a virus is not necessarily alive or dead. It’s a piece of genetic programming wrapped in a bit of sac, and it can only be activated when it enters your cells. Once the virus gets into your cells, it hijacks your machinery because it has no metabolism on its own. So, it has to tap into yours and use it like a parasite to reproduce.

This is a bit bizarre because it is equipped with programming for evading your immune system.

What is a virus?

A virus is a microscopic entity possessing a core of genetic material. The genetic material at the core may be either RNA or DNA. The center of a virus is covered with capsid. Capsid is a protein protective coat.

A spiky cover called an envelope surrounds the capsid. These spikes are proteins that help the viruses bind the host cells and penetrate them. Under the right conditions, the viruses can multiply inside the host cells.

Medical researchers have argued about whether viruses meet the criteria for living organisms. Well, viruses can grow. They can also reproduce. However, viruses do not produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP drives many processes in living cells.

It is also important to note that viruses do not contain ribosomes. This means that they cannot produce proteins. As such, they cannot reproduce independently. Instead, they are wholly dependent on their host.

After invading a cell, the virus releases its genetic material and proteins into the host cell. Then, it reproduces rapidly using the cellular machinery in the host’s cell.

While reproducing, the virus produces more genetic material and viral protein than the usual products produced by cells.