the_original_Retro t1_iur0p2c wrote
It's kind of neither.
It's important to understand that the virus doesn't "want" anything. It's like a little emotionless and purposeless robot. It reproduces because its programming tells it to reproduce, and that's it. So it's all about that program and what that program tells the virus to do. And occasionally that program up and changes a little thanks to viral mutations.
So let's look at two newly mutated types of virus.
One virus type has a newly written section of program code that triggers the body to sneeze by causing the infected body to generate more mucus and irritate nasal membranes that create the necessary "tickle". In other words, its programming activates our body's natural triggers to have to sneeze. That sneeze will create an aerosol and scatter liquid droplets that contain virus particles. This causes the virus to spread around and cover more real estate.
The other virus type does not share this new programming code. It doesn't trigger sneezing. So, because there are no sneezes, it spreads less effectively.
The first virus's program is more effective at increasing the odds that it will be spread to other hosts... and so it survives and propagates more, while the other virus doesn't spread beyond its initial host as effectively, and propagates less. The first virus doesn't MEAN to do this, it's just the way its programming changed to allow it to spread. And so the virus ends up multiplying in more bodies without "intending" to do so.
It's the result of an accident that's lucky for the virus... but unlucky for us.
fourleafedrover8 OP t1_iurskba wrote
I guess my question should have been "do viruses cause us to sneeze in order to spread, or do viruses cause us to sneeze because they are irritants?"
In other words, is the body trying to rid itself of the virus? Or is the virus itself causing the sneeze because it has previously benefited from this?
Or, is it both?
*smacks head on wall*
marlenesdottir t1_iusctsu wrote
The virus doesn't want anything! It just replicates so often that by chance it got the mutation that will trigger a sneeze (in this case) and this mutation is coincidentally the best one to spread the virus itself (because mutation = just an error of the copy of virus DNA/RNA) so it's the mutation that survives and travel hosts and will be the one you will get.
ThrowAwayIguess2424 t1_iv06bux wrote
You are being intentionally dense to OPs question. As they noted in the comment you responded to, they recognize there isn’t some active desire in the virus
Their question is whether the virus gains reproductive fitness via phenotypically causing sneezing in its host, or if the act of sneezing is an attempted response by the host to expel virus
They did not know how to phrase it that way, but what they meant is quite clear
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