Flu Virus Vs. Fungus

Influenza viruses are unrelated to fungi. The only thing that viruses have in common with fungi is their ability to reproduce.

Basic Structure and Organization

• Fungi are cellular life forms that are in many ways similar to plants, animals and protists. Flu viruses consist of a bit of genetic material surrounded by a spherical or rod-like protein coat.

Reproduction

• Fungi reproduce by fragmentation, or through the sexual or asexual production of spores. Viruses have no reproductive structures. To reproduce, they rely on the molecular machinery of their host cells.

Genetic Material

• Fungi, like all other cellular life forms on Earth, use double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) as their genetic material. Flu virus genomes are composed of a much smaller amount of single-stranded ribonucleic acid (ssRNA).

Differences in Size

• Fungal cells can be hundreds of times larger than flu viruses. Fungi typically range from 1 to 20 micrometers in diameter. Flu viruses typically have dimensions in the 50- to 300-nanometer range.

Antifungal and Antiviral Drugs

• Antifungal drugs have no effect on viruses and vice versa. This is because fungi and flu viruses have no similar structures or functions that can be attacked by the same kinds of drugs.

Living or Non-Living?

• Fungi are clearly alive. Because viruses have no metabolism, do not convert energy, do not grow, do not respond to stimuli, are dependent on host cells for reproduction and are not composed of cells, many scientists do not even consider them to be alive.