The nurse is caring for a client who has been diagnosed with a virus. The client states that the healthcare provider referred to the illness by a different name. What term does the nurse anticipate that the healthcare provider used?

Question

1. Intracellular parasites
2. Fungi
3. Capsid
4. Symbiotic

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1

Rationale 1: Viruses are called intracellular parasites, meaning that they must be inside a host cell to cause infection. The host organism and cell are often very specific: It might be a single species of plant, bacteria, or animal, or even a single type of cell within that species. Most often, viruses that affect one species do not affect others, although cases have been documented where viruses can mutate and cross species, as is likely the case for HIV.
Rationale 2: Fungi is incorrect because a virus is not a fungus.
Rationale 3: Capsid is incorrect because it is part of the cell.
Rationale 4: Symbiotic is incorrect because a virus is an intracellular parasite.

Global Rationale: Viruses are called intracellular parasites, meaning that they must be inside a host cell to cause infection. The host organism and cell are often very specific: It might be a single species of plant, bacteria, or animal, or even a single type of cell within that species. Most often, viruses that affect one species do not affect others, although cases have been documented where viruses can mutate and cross species, as is likely the case for HIV. Fungi is incorrect because a virus is not a fungus. Capsid is incorrect because it is part of the cell. Symbiotic is incorrect because a virus is an intracellular parasite.