How does a virus replicate?

A virus replicates by multiplying in a host cell. This process begins when the virus attaches to the surface of a susceptible host cell and injects its genetic material into the cell. Once inside, the virus hijacks the host cell's machinery, utilizing the host's resources to produce new viral components such as proteins and nucleic acids. These components are then assembled into new virus particles, which exit the host cell, often destroying it in the process, so they can go on to infect additional cells.

Understanding how viral replication occurs is crucial not only for comprehending the biology of viruses but also for developing antiviral therapies and vaccines. Other methods like dividing in the environment, binary fission, or forming spores do not apply to viruses, as they lack the necessary cellular structures and metabolism to carry out independent replication in the way living cells do.