Viral life cycle

How viruses do this depends mainly on the type of nucleic acid DNA or RNA they contain, which is either one or the other but never both.

Attachment, or adsorption, occurs between the viral particle and the host cell membrane.

After control is established and the environment is set for the virus to begin making copies of itself, replication occurs quickly by the millions.

After a virus has made many copies of itself, the progeny may begin to leave the cell by several methods.

During this time, the virus does not produce any progeny, it remains inactive until external stimuli—such as light or stress—prompts it to activate.