A student is learning about infections that can occur in the human body. Infections could be caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungus. The student learns about two infections, influenza and ringworm

Question

Which of the following statements correctly describes Influenza, an infection caused by a virus?

a
Influenza is caused by a virus because it is a living infectious agent that invades a host cell.
b
Influenza is caused by a virus because it is a non-living infectious agent.
c
Influenza is caused by a fungus, because it is a DNA genome.
d
Influenza is caused by a bacterium because it is a non-living infectious and spreads by spores.

Answer 1

The correct statement that describes Influenza, an infection caused by a virus, is:

a Influenza is caused by a virus because it is a living infectious agent that invades a host cell.

However, it's important to note that viruses are generally considered non-living as they require a host cell to replicate and do not exhibit all characteristics of living organisms. Therefore, none of the options perfectly describe the nature of influenza. If you're looking for the closest fit that identifies influenza correctly, then statement a comes the closest, despite the inaccuracy regarding the nature of the virus.

If clarification is needed, you might adjust the understanding around the living vs. non-living debate in microorganisms.