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12019-04-07T22:23:32-07:00Sam Henrickson5cd0ff97c337b26d01e84db58bdb9506b40fff7a335199plain2019-04-20T02:35:31-07:00Sam Henrickson5cd0ff97c337b26d01e84db58bdb9506b40fff7aUltimate PerfectionHubThe Ultimate Perfection desired by most viruses (which, yes, is not bacteria, but is a microscopic parasite that requires a living host) is to spread as quickly as possible. This is exemplified by contagions, infections, plagues and cancers that spread viciously throughout multi-celled life. The main fear factor for humans in cancer is that it is unable to stop itself from multiplying and spreading, and with each duplication of a cancer cell, the species is closer to reaching its Ultimate Perfection. Ultimate Perfection for viruses also includes invulnerability, or the ability to resist any attempts to kill it by outside forces.
Since viruses need a host to live, that a virus would inject its nucleic acid into a cell, and then duplicate itself until the cell is full, which then bursts and releases the virus to infect other cells. This meant that a virus could only spread as quickly as it could duplicate in a cell. However, the vaccinia virus, for example, has been noted to spread up to four times as quickly as thought possible. The reason for this is cell surfing. Vaccinia, after it successfully infects a cell, places two viral proteins on the outside of the cell wall, marking it as infected. These proteins expel actin-tails, which act as little tentacles, pushing new virus cells that come to check the already-infected cell for eligibility away so that the virus doesn't expend unnecessary resources trying to find a new host. The virus mimics cell movements by hijacking the cells motility pathways, directing the cells' movements to enhance the spread of the virus. Typically, vaccinia spreads from one cell to another every hour or so, but when the protein that makes the actin-tails is absent, it takes the virus five to six hours to find a new host.
Medicine to combat viruses is meant to inhibit their individual, unique replication cycles, making them unable to reproduce as quickly or at all. Viruses, however, in order to achieve Ultimate Perfection, strive to adapt to these drug-defenses, and overcome their vulnerability in order to continue spreading quickly and quantatively through alteration of the viral genetics that make up the proteins the drugs target. This makes the drugs ineffective, and means that in order for the virus to be hindered, new drugs must be created to target the mutated proteins. An example of this is Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, which is (believe it or not) strains of Enterobacteriaceae that are resistant to Carbapenem, the cure for the bacteria. This has them listed in media as a "superbug," often considered an incurable atrocity of modern medicine. This is not true, simply a bacteria living up to its Ultimate Perfection.
12019-04-20T02:32:57-07:00Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae1media/carbapenem resistant enterobacteriaceae courtesy of american security today.jpgplain2019-04-20T02:32:57-07:00
