BRAINCAKEViruses and Disease
Viruses cause disease in several ways, and the symptoms of an infection come from a mix of damage done by the virus and the body's own response.
Destroying host cells. When viruses replicate by the lytic pathway, infected cells burst and die. If enough cells are lost, the tissue stops working. Influenza destroys the epithelial cells lining the airways, and poliovirus kills motor neurones, which can cause paralysis.
Disrupting cell function. Even without bursting cells, a virus takes over the cell's ribosomes, nucleotides and ATP, so the cell cannot make its own proteins or carry out its normal job.
Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz
BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.
Key terms in this lesson
- t helper cell
- A type of white blood cell that coordinates the immune response and is the main target of HIV infection.
More in Prokaryotic Cells
- RNA Virus Replication
- Positive ssRNA Viruses
- Negative ssRNA Viruses
- Retrovirus Replication
- The Spread of Viral Diseases
- Treating Viral Diseases
- Preventing Viral Diseases
- Vaccination
All 31 lessons in Prokaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics