Rickettsia is a genus of bacteria causing serious infections in humans. Rickettsia reproduce inside of human cells, and they are dependent upon the host cell's machinery to do so. Like a virus, once replicated, Rickettsia are released from the host cell and can then go on to infect other cells. For Rickettsia to be considered a virus rather than a bacterium, what properties must it have?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rickettsia, despite relying on host cell machinery for replication, is classified as a bacterium because it contains both RNA and DNA, and can carry out some of its own metabolic processes, unlike viruses that must fully rely on the host's cellular machinery for replication and do not have the capabilities for independent metabolism.

Rickettsia Is a Genus of Bacteria Causing Serious Infections in Humans