Why do viruses potentially destroy their hosts?

Okay, so our rabbit has died, it had a virus of some kind, last few days it wasn't eating anything, etc, so we took it to the vets where it was identified as a virus, he said to keep it indoors, so we did..

Few hours later, it died infront of me.. it got me thinking.. why do some lifeforms kill their hosts?

Without a host; the virus would die, so why does it kill it or make it suffer?

I know you'll all probably say it's the cycle of life.. but in a logical sense, it doesn't need to kill its hosts to continue to live.. it's not like it's a predator of some kind.

Why do viruses potentially destroy their hosts?virus protection software

First of all ,, i am really sorry for ur rabbit.

Virus actually use host cell for reproduction by using host cell's DNA.Virus CAN live without a host cell, they only use host cell to increase in number. Once virus done with its reproducing work, it kill the host cell to come out of it and attack new host cells to reproduce again. Virus keep destroying host cells like this and at the same time it increasing its population. It does need to kill its host cell to continue to reproduce, otherwise it would trap inside the host cell and can't reproduce anymore.

Virus is not really a living thing.........u know.....it doesn function the way u said "to continue to live"..........the only work virus do is attack a host cell..........reproduce..come out from the host cell by destroying it....attack new cell.....reproduce.....destroy host cell in order to come out..............and keep going. Most probably for virus "living" means when they keep their DNA live inside their hard protein coat when they are not in a host cell.......or outside somewhere looking for a host cell.

Why do viruses potentially destroy their hosts?adware

The viruses replicate their DNA onto the host cell DNA and destroy the host cell. In theory, the virus is transmitted to a new host organism before the old one dies. A practical example is HIV. Patients with AIDS can transmit the virus several times before it actually kills them.