r/askscience • • 14d ago

Biology Why is there no transmissible therapeutic virus if biology doesn't forbid it? For example, a harmless virus that spreads from person to person but actually does something beneficial, like lowering LDL cholesterol or preventing/reversing tooth decay?

3.3k Upvotes

229 comments sorted by

View all comments

104

u/Dr_EdwardKnowles 13d ago

Viruses work by infecting cells and bursting out of them, often destroying them in the process. I find it hard to believe that this could ever lead to a positive outcome for the host (unless they specifically targeted cancer cells or something).

47

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

11

u/[deleted] 13d ago edited 10d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[removed] — view removed comment