Virus is a Living Organism

The definition of a creature should fulfill the following criteria:

• Reproduce
• Obtain and use energy
• Grow, develop and die
• Respond to the environment

From the first criteria virus difficult to include because virus can reproduce themselves without help. Virus injects its genetic material into the host cell, other viruses have the capacity to simply dissolve the cell wall, and sink into it. Once the DNA of the virus is inside the cell, it takes control of it and forces it, using its resources, to produce more viruses.

Virus is not a cell, it does not need food, it does need material to reproduce, but it does not require energy. Viruses have the ability to adapt with a new environment, so they are developed. Sometimes a virus loses its ability to invade to new host cells and effectively virus died. Most viruses are quite weak, but some have been known to stay dormant for a number of years, like herpes simplex. Some viruses can sleep inside the genetic instructions of the host cells for years before reproducing. Virus it selves does not need energy but the cell as virus host become need more energy, because of abnormal life.

Viruses can not move by themselves, but always need some means of transport, like fluid or by wind like influenza. Viruses adapt to their environment by constantly changing their DNA or RNA. These mutation make it very hard to effectively cure viral diseases. So there it is, regarding a virus as a living organism could be argued.