Viruses and STIs

Lytic pathway

The virus attaches itself to a specific host cell and injects its genetic material into the cell. The virus uses proteins and enzymes in the host cell to replicate its genetic material and produce the components of the new viruses. The viral components assemble. The host cell splits open, releasing the new viruses, which infect more cells

Lysogenic pathway

The injected genetic material is incorporated into the genome ( DNA ) of host cell. The viral genetic material gets replicated along with the host DNA every time the host cell divides - but the virus is dormant ( inactive ) and no new viruses are made. Eventually a trigger ( e.g the presence of a chemical ) causes the viral genetic material to leave the genome and enter the lytic pathway

STI

Sexually transmitted disease

Chlamydia

A kind of bacterium but behaves very similarly to viruses because it can only reproduce inside host cells

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus