Life of a Lab Rat

First of all, I think the whole "Are viruses alive???" question is far less profound than most of the people who pose it think. It says nothing about life (which is what people seem to think it says), though it may be interesting in what it tells us about "life" the word. (The word dates to before the 12th century. Viruses were discovered in the 20th century. It is hardly surprising, or interesting, that a 12th century word doesn't cover all 20th century concepts.)

That said, I'm so tired of people asking, with that smug little glint in their eyes as they pose this profound philosophical conundrum their 3rd-grade science teacher presented to them, "Ah, but are viruses really alive?" that I call it a "replication cycle" instead, in an attempt to forestall them.

I would go with infection cycle or the replication cycle cited above.

I've even heard viral cycle

replicative cycle