
Virus | Definition, Structure, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 3, 2025 · Virus, infectious agent of small size and simple composition that can multiply only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria. Viruses possess unique infective properties and thus …
virus - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Viruses are tiny particles that cause disease in people, other animals, and plants. Different viruses cause the common cold, influenza (flu), chicken pox, measles, AIDS, and many other diseases.
Definition, Symptoms, Treatment, & Prevention - Britannica
3 days ago · Influenza is caused by viruses in the family Orthomyxoviridae. Learn more about the classification of influenza viruses, influenza outbreaks, and influenza symptoms and treatment.
Bacteriophage | Definition, Life Cycle, & Research | Britannica
Oct 31, 2025 · Phages are classified in a number of virus families; some examples include Inoviridae, Microviridae, Rudiviridae, and Tectiviridae. Like all viruses, phages are simple …
Computer virus | Definition & Facts | Britannica
Oct 18, 2025 · A virus consists of a set of instructions that attaches itself to other computer programs, usually in the computer’s operating system, and becomes part of them.
Retrovirus | Definition, Examples, Diseases, Replication, & Facts ...
Nov 21, 2025 · Retrovirus, any of a group of viruses that belong to the family Retroviridae and that characteristically carry their genetic blueprint in the form of ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Polio | Definition, Symptoms, Vaccine, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 14, 2025 · In some people the virus gets no farther, causing only a vague flulike illness to develop. The most common early symptoms of polio are mild headache, fever, sore throat, …
Capsid | virus structure | Britannica
The protein capsid provides the second major criterion for the classification of viruses. The capsid surrounds the virus and is composed of a finite number of protein subunits known as …
Coronavirus | Definition, Features, & Examples | Britannica
Nov 8, 2025 · In late 2019 a virus closely related to SARS coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus, later named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), …
HIV | Description & Facts | Britannica
Nov 23, 2025 · HIV is a lentivirus (literally meaning “slow virus”; a member of the retrovirus family) that slowly attacks and destroys the immune system, the body’s defense against infection.