Question

bacteria in the shigella genus cause the disease shigellosis. the symptoms of shigellosis include diarrhea, fever, and intestinal cramping. the disease is unpleasant, but most people recover within a week. shigellosis is transmitted from one person to another through bodily wastes. you can catch shigellosis from a baby when changing its diaper. people also catch the disease by drinking contaminated water. the best way to avoid shigellosis is through frequent hand - washing with soap. a strategy for fighting bacterial infections uses viruses. viruses that infect bacteria are called bacteriophages. phage comes from the greek word for \eater.\ explain why it is not accurate to call a virus that kills bacteria a \bacteria eater.\ what happens when a virus attacks a cell?

Explanation:

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. They don't "eat" bacteria in the traditional sense. When a bacteriophage attacks a bacterial cell, it injects its genetic material into the cell. The viral genetic - material takes over the bacterial cell's machinery to produce more viruses. Eventually, the bacterial cell bursts (lysis), releasing new phages. So, it's not accurate to call them "bacteria eaters" as they don't consume bacteria like an organism would consume food.

Answer:

When a virus (bacteriophage) attacks a bacterial cell, it injects its genetic material into the cell. The bacterial cell then uses its own machinery to produce viral components. These components assemble into new viruses, and the bacterial cell eventually lyses, releasing the new phages.