Why are viruses generally more challenging to treat than bacteria?

Viruses present unique challenges in treatment primarily because they replicate inside host cells. This intracellular replication makes it difficult to target the virus without also harming the host's own cells. Unlike bacteria, which can be treated with antibiotics that can effectively target their cellular structures or metabolic processes, viruses hijack the host's cellular machinery to reproduce. This integration with the host cell complicates treatment options since medications must selectively disrupt viral replication while preserving the host's cellular health.

Moreover, the immune system's recognition systems are also geared towards pathogens outside cells, making it harder to identify and eliminate viruses once they are intracellular. This difference in replication location compared to bacteria, which can be targeted more readily as they typically exist outside of human cells, highlights the difficulty in developing effective antiviral treatments.