What do viruses/bacteria exactly do inside of our bodies that makes them dangerous and causes us to get sick?
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Viruses hijack your cells’ metabolism to create more of themselves. The cells are ruined in the process, which is troubling when the cells are part of your vital organs. Cells destroyed in a membrane or lining can cause fluids to leak in places they aren’t supposed to go, very dangerous when those fluids are stomach acids, gut contents, or the barrier between your blood and brain.
Bacteria are just trying to survive, and may attempt to modify their surroundings (such as producing biofilms) to better do so, disrupting your body’s normal operation. This may allow other bacteria to start colonizing, causing their own problems. They can also produce toxic wastes—their toilet is your bloodstream. All the while, they are consuming your body’s nutrients.
Your body’s immune response can also be damaging to yourself. Inflammation, high fevers, consuming infected cells, ordering cells to destroy themselves (again a problem in vital organs), and other “scorched earth” responses can destroy invaders, but at great cost to your body’s integrity.
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