Viral Replication
Viral replication is a process by which viruses replicate and spread from cell to cell in an organism. Viruses are a type of microorganism that can cause disease and are composed of genetic material (nucleic acid) surrounded by a protein coat. Viral replication requires the virus to hijack a host cell's machinery and reproduce its genetic code. This process occurs in four steps: adsorption, penetration, synthesis, and assembly. Once new viruses are produced they are released from the host cell to infect other cells in the same organism or in a new organism. Understanding viral replication helps us to devise treatments and vaccines for viral diseases, as well as to develop effective antiviral agents and virus diagnostics.
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