The living organisms are always different from non - living organisms. The living organisms have some characters which separate them from the non-livings. These characteristics are growth, reproduction, nutrition, excretion, variations, etc. The nonliving organisms do not have these characters. Viruses are the only organisms that have both living and non- living characters. They reproduce, have genetic materials. But viruses are having a protein coat and not cell. Therefore, it is an acellular organism. It always needs a host to reproduce and in the absence of a host, they are non living microbes. Therefore, they are neither living nor non living.
