Size
of
Viruses
The size of viruses is variable. Most viruses are much smaller than bacteria. The larger viruses are, however, as large as some of the smaller bacteria.
The
virus
of
lymphogranuloma
venereum
has
a
diameter
of
300-400
mµ,
and
is
thus
larger
than
the
smallest
bacterium.
Viruses
are
only
just
slightly
larger
than
some
of
the
larger
protein
and
nucleic
acid
molecules.
The virus of the foot and mouth disease is smaller than the largest protein molecules. Most animal viruses and all plant viruses are invisible under the light microscope.
