Understanding Viruses, Bacteria, and Prions

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Many people get viruses, prions, and bacteria confused in multiple ways. However, these are different in several aspects, and once informed about them, people should no longer get them mixed up. For example, the most important and most unique differences between bacteria, prions, and viruses is that bacteria is a living organism, prions are not living organisms, and the debate regarding the living status of viruses has been, and still is, running on without the slightest sight of a resolution. Other pieces of evidence differentiating these is the way they reproduce, the way that they look, as in their shape and size, and the diseases that they cause and can help cure. In the past fifty years medical and technological information has increased majorly, revealing more knowledge and insight as to the similarities and differences between viruses, bacteria, and prions.
The first topic of discussion is the different structure types and sizes of these different organisms. Bacterium can appear in a few different shapes when you observe it under a microscope. The first of three is a spherical shape. The scientific name assigned to this type of bacteria is coccus (plural: cocci). Coccus is a term that means a berry. Many berries are in the shape of a sphere and this is why scientists designated it this name. Secondly, there are bacteria that exist as a rod shape. These are called bacilli (singular: bacillus), meaning a little stick. Lastly, and most uniquely, there are certain bacteria that are in the form of a spiral. The name given to these is spirillum (plural: spirilla), meaning spiral or coil. As for the way bacteria lives with other bacteria, it can exist on its own, in a pair, diplo-, in a group, staphylo-, or in a chain, strepto-....

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