Why cant we coure viral diseases <cause by virus> ? how come they mutate?
442333
We can treat some diseases caused by viruses by vaccinations. Smallpox was eradicated through vaccination. Viruses use the host cell to replicate rather than cell division. They make many copies of themselves and in doing so mutate when a mistake is made in copying. Antiviral treatments try and stop the virus from replicating itself.\n\nThere are two types of mutation at least in influenza viruses: antigenic drift where the viruses mutate gradually and antigenic drift where the change is more sudden. Most viruses don't mutate all that often but HIV and flu viruses do.
392503
You're absolutely right. There are millions, if not billions, of these 'common colds'.\n\nThe reason for it being so is because the viruses keep mutating and shuffling their genetic materials, thus producing new strains- all the time. These new strains are infective to us and no vaccine is able to stop them, as the vaccine is prepared to stop the older strains.\n\nSo far, take for example the rhinovirus- the main offender, has more than 80 strains and counting... What more to say of the rest of the viruses that cause the 'common cold', with their own multitude of genetic strains?
163029
At the moment there is nothing to worry about as you can only get the virus from direct contact with infected birds (not from people who have the disease) and they are still few and far between, but IF the virus mutates so you can catch it from other people then we are in truble
1062719
Due to differences of diversity of the human race, and the flora and fauna arond them, some diseases are localized only in certain areas, and due to genetic diveresity over time, people can develop immunities to certain diseases.\n\nFor example, it's been discovered that certain descendants of Scandinavians/Vikings are HIV immune.\n\nIt's for reasons like this that genetic diversity is such a good thing, and why imbreeding is so frowned upon.
925628
Bird flu has to mutate into a disease that can spread from human to human before that can happen.  Right now it has only gone from birds to humans who have VERY close contact with those birds.  (Handling dead bodies of infected birds)\nIf it does mutate to a form that can be spread among humas, then it is hard to say how dangerous it could be.
1187759
You can get infected with a different strain of the virus.  The HIV virus mutants.
35146
As joseflip said, there are treatments to slow down viruses.  Do a study on viruses; it's fascinating.  They're not even alive!  Purely biologically mechanical (mindless and instinctless; they just do what they do), they do their work by invading cells, multiplying, and going out to other cells...very sneaky.  Because if you want to destroy the virus...you more than likely have to destroy cells as well, and that's where our problem lies.\nThe best example, I think, is HIV.  There are several treatments to keep this horrible disease "at bay," but I *don't think* there are *cures* for any viral diseases.
532682
if the system is so perfect why is evolution necessary?? and if you dont believe the man from monkeys thing, what about viruses and why we need new flu shots every year??
555420
The virus might mutate when it integrates in the DNA of the cells, thus lowering your virus quality.  This happens especially when working on eukaryotic cultures because of the copious amount of DNA in them.
83890
Uhmm... no... hmmm... it is really almost impossible for a virus to be made... we still dont have the capability to produce life and what comes with it... THe only thing I can think of is genetical mutation of virus... but its really hard to mutate something... especially a tiny virus....\n\nI heard stories that HIV came from a doctor and a monkey... who copulated.. but i'm not really certain with the credibility of this... but if this is true... it could have mutated a virus, that is now what we call HIV... O.o\n\nBut... nonetheless... I believe that no person is stupid enough to MAKE a virus... that CAN be a threat to his very life... ^^
418927
one that is constantly mutating, such that its protein coat is always slightly different and so the body's immune system is unable to recognize it quickly as a pathogen to get rid of it.\n\nalso, superviruses may attack the immune system, as in HIV, such that the immune system breaks down.\n\nin the case of flu, there are thousands of different flu viruses with their unique protein coats. hence the immune system may not have encountered the virus before and is thus slow in recognizing the pathogen
72877
Let's see I would say that cancer is curable now, if detected early. The problem is that many people don't go to the doctor for regular check ups.  In the case of AIDS is caused by a virus. The scientific community knows little about viruses, and the HIV virus is constantly mutating, making it difficult to find something that would stop it.  They might find something that works for a certain strain of a virus but soon that strain will mutate, so the it won't work.  I hope that help you a little to understand that even with the resources it is not easy to find cures to things that are constantly changing.
73156
They just breed the virus, AFAIK.  Mutations pop up in every generation. In fact, as a matter of comparison, humans - on average - have about 60 mutations.
951793
Virus: A microorganism smaller than a bacteria, which cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell.\nViruses cause many common human infections, and are also responsible for a bevy of rare diseases. Examples of viral illnesses range from the common cold, which is usually caused by one of the rhinoviruses, to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).\n\nSo you probably have some cold or flu "bug", and not much you can do but get rest and stay hydrated.
568752
Yes, there isn't any. Herpes is caused by a virus. Actually, there is little cure for viruses nowadays. The only thing that you can generally do in the case of a viral infection is strengthen the immune system and hope it fights it off. Not with Herpes, the immune system can't win against it. Thus you only get to treat the symptoms. Once you're infected, it stays with you for life. So don't get infected.
297642
There are several mechanisms of disease.\n\nFirst, congenital.  These are diseases you are born with because of your genetics or your prenatal environment.\n\nSecond, bacterial.  These are diseases caused by a bacterial infection.  \n\nThird, Viral.  Diseases caused by a virus.\n\nFourth, exposure to foreign substances:  This could include "Black Lung Disease", which is coal dust inhaled by miners.  Basically, these are diseases caused by exposure to toxic substances.\n\nFifth, Mental Health.  Although many can be caused by your genetic makeup or by toxic substances, you can also gain these from your upbringing.\n\nI might be missing some, but those are several mechanisms of disease.
192805
No.  Viruses depend on a number of components of the host cell for basic functions like replicating DNA and producing proteins because they do not have these systems themselves.  Since they don't have these systems, they can't preform the necessary functions for another virus.\n\nWhen a virus infects a cell, it injects its viral DNA into the genome of the host cell, and the cell replicates and transcribes the viral DNA along with its own.  If a virus were to inject its DNA into another virus, that other virus wouldn't have the ability to replicate the DNA, so nothing would happen.  Also, viruses don't really have membranes (they just have protein), so it probably wouln't be able to inject its DNA in the first place.