In a natural sense, no. The only purpose of a virus is to replicate. That's it. The processes that they hijack at the cellular level don't produce anything other than the parts necessary to create new virions. Typically this will kill the host cell. Definitely not beneficial.
There are some natural uses of viruses though. Small pox was eradicated by a virus. Not in a literal sense but the Cow Pox Virus conferred immunity to small pox with virtually no disease symptoms. The virus really didn't do anything other than look a lot like it's more virulent cousin... Now, with genetic engineering, things get a lot more interesting. Researchers are looking at genetically altering viruses to fight cancer. Viruses are routinely used to create pest resistant crops by injecting the DNA needed to create chemicals the bugs don't like... Viruses are also used to create new cell lines for research (making cancer cells that replicate forever...). So there are lots of "uses" for altered viruses... Beneficial is left to the eye of the beholder. Jeff Garza *Now unveiled as supreme geek* -----Original Message----- From: Braver, Ben [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 8:47 AM To: CF-Community Subject: RE: Circumcision advantage Jeff- as a former microbiologist, maybe you can answer a question I've wondered about for a looooong time: there are beneficial bacteria (e.g., the cultures that make yogurt). are there beneficial viruses, or are all viruses harmful? -Ben > -----Original Message----- > From: Garza, Jeff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 8:43 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: Circumcision advantage > > > Technically you are correct, if you are a human. If you are > a bacteria, > it's quite a different story. There are plenty of viruses that infect > bacteria only. Although, I don't know of any viruses that > can infect both > mammalian and bacterial cells... > > Jeff Garza > Former Microbiologist... > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kevin Schmidt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 8:34 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: Circumcision advantage > > > I sent a similar post yesterday! > > Bacteria doesn't cause a virus. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Braver, Ben [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 10:16 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: Circumcision advantage > > Wrong on a couple of counts - > > it's not a bacteria, it's a virus > and it was in the tissue of the foreskin, not the smegma > > (I found this out by reading more of the article after > posting what I heard > on the radio.) > > -Ben > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Philip Arnold - ASP [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 5:49 AM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: RE: Circumcision advantage > > > > > > > the particular bacteria grow in the smegma. And you can > look it up > > > yourself because I'm not going to explain it. > > > > So, if you're clean and wash every day, there's virtually no smegma, > > so you can't pass on the bacteria - right? > > > > Philip Arnold > > Technical Director > > Certified ColdFusion Developer > > ASP Multimedia Limited > > T: +44 (0)20 8680 1133 > > F: +44 (0)20 8686 7911 > > > > An ISO9001 registered company. > > > > > ********************************************************************** > > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and > > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to > whom they > > are addressed. If you have received this email in error > please notify > > the system manager. > > > ********************************************************************** > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Your ad could be here. Monies from ads go to support these lists and provide more resources for the community. http://www.fusionauthority.com/ads.cfm Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
