This document describes the characteristics, structure, replication process, and roles of viruses. It defines viruses as extremely small agents that are not living cells and can only replicate inside host cells. Viruses contain nucleic acids surrounded by protein coats and come in different shapes. The document outlines the history of virus discovery and explains the lytic and lysogenic replication cycles that viruses use to infect host cells and produce more viruses. It also discusses the classification of viruses based on their hosts, examples of viral diseases in animals, plants and humans, and some uses of viruses in research and vaccine development.