←back to thread

One universal antiviral to rule them all?

(www.cuimc.columbia.edu)
331 points breve | 1 comments | 26 Aug 25 14:07 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
mcculley ◴[26 Aug 25 18:38 UTC] No.45030508[source]▶
I always wonder this and maybe people in the comments here know the answer: If humans had the technology to eliminate all viruses on Earth, what would be the outcome? Do viruses keep other bad things in check? Would there be bad consequences if we eliminated all viruses?
replies(11): >>45030523 #>>45030534 #>>45030621 #>>45031827 #>>45032446 #>>45032740 #>>45033011 #>>45034098 #>>45034143 #>>45034265 #>>45034562 #
ocfnash ◴[26 Aug 25 18:39 UTC] No.45030523[source]▶
Most viruses are bacteriophages, so I imagine bacteria would run wild!
replies(1): >>45033713 #
zahlman ◴[26 Aug 25 23:41 UTC] No.45033713[source]▶
Aren't bacteria generally much larger than viruses?
replies(1): >>45034081 #
karolinepauls ◴[27 Aug 25 00:37 UTC] No.45034081[source]▶
Phages don't devour bacteria, they get inside and hijack them, like viruses tend to do with cells.
replies(2): >>45036122 #>>45043147 #
1. zahlman ◴[27 Aug 25 18:23 UTC] No.45043147{3}[source]▶
Seems strange to call them that, then; but such is English I suppose.