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Viruses do not really "eat" because they are not alive. They are called microbes and microscopic organisms by some scientists for ease of discussion, but they don't meet the strict definitions of these, so other scientists prefer to call them "sub-microscopic infectious agents".

They carry pieces of DNA or RNA and attach to and enter a living host's cells (plant or animal) and cause those cells to create more viruses. The virus causes this replication by modifying the DNA of the "invaded" host cells to make them stop their original function in the host and turn into a cell functioning only to reproduce copies of the virus. The material and energy needed to reproduce them is not coming from the virus or to the virus in the form of food, it is provided by the host animal's or plant's cells. Viruses can not continue to replicate (stay "alive") without the host cell doing the work and providing the materials.

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14y ago

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