Like bacteria, there are many healthy and useful viruses.

Like bacteria, there are many healthy and useful viruses.

• A. TRUE
• B. NOT SURE
• C. CANNOT BE DETERMINED
• D. FALSE

Answer: (D)

Viruses are not like bacteria in that they’re generally not considered healthy or useful to human health in the same broad sense. Most viruses are associated with disease and rely on host cells to reproduce, which is why they’re viewed as pathogens rather than beneficial organisms. There are, however, specialized and important uses of some viruses in medicine and research—such as bacteriophages used to target bacteria, or viral vectors employed in vaccines and gene therapy—but these are specific, limited cases and do not make the statement true in general. So the claim that there are many healthy and useful viruses is not accurate.

Viruses are not like bacteria in that they’re generally not considered healthy or useful to human health in the same broad sense. Most viruses are associated with disease and rely on host cells to reproduce, which is why they’re viewed as pathogens rather than beneficial organisms. There are, however, specialized and important uses of some viruses in medicine and research—such as bacteriophages used to target bacteria, or viral vectors employed in vaccines and gene therapy—but these are specific, limited cases and do not make the statement true in general. So the claim that there are many healthy and useful viruses is not accurate.