Essay Archive - The Ebola Virus
The Ebola Virus
A virus is an ultramicroscopic infectious organism that, having no
independent metabolic activity, can replicate only within a cell of another host
organism. A virus consists of a core of nucleic acid, either RNA or DNA,
surrounded by a coating of antigenic protein and sometimes a lipid layer
surrounds it as well. The virus provides the genetic code for replication, and
the host cell provides the necessary energy and raw materials. There are more
than 200 viruses that are know to cause disease in humans. The Ebola virus,
which dates back to 1976, ha....
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