Are viruses living organisms?

[Ed Rybicki]

>     Does anyone know of important conclusive studies or articles which
> show proof that viruses can be considered organisms?  Also if you know a
> lot about this question please write to me, I'm in need of some expert
> evidence and advice which proves this fact for a research paper in my AP
> Biology class. Anything which will help me convince my teacher that
> viruses are organisms will be much appreciated.

Any biology teacher who thinks that viruses are not organisms needs 
their head or their credentials examined.

For a quick fix (with references) look at 
http://www.bocklabs.wisc.edu/ed/virtut1.html
http://www.uct.ac.za/microbiology/virtut1.html (more up to date)
                     Ed Rybicki, PhD  
      Dept Microbiology     |  ed at molbiol.uct.ac.za   
   University of Cape Town  | phone: x27-21-650-3265
   Private Bag, Rondebosch  |  fax: x27-21-650 4023
      7700, South Africa    |   
    WWW URL: http://www.uct.ac.za/microbiology/ed.html      
                                        
"And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you"