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Preferred term

viruses  

Definition

  • Viruses are primitive biological infectious agents that live only in the cells of bacteria, plants, and animals. A specific virus invades and reproduces inside of a specific living cell until the cell explodes, spewing hundreds of copies; however, a virus cannot live outside of a cell. [Source: Encyclopedia of Environment and Society; Viruses]

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URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/viruses

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