Final answer:
True. There are giant viruses such as Pandoravirus salinus and Pithovirus sibericum that are almost as large as bacterial cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that some viruses can be as large as bacterial cells is true. While most viruses are indeed smaller than prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and generally range in size from 20 nm to 900 nm, there have been recent discoveries of giant viruses such as Pandoravirus salinus and Pithovirus sibericum that approach the size of bacterial cells. Bacteria, like E. coli, are typically dwarfed by eukaryotic cells but are much larger than most viruses; however, these giant viruses are an exception to the typical size range of viruses and can be almost as big as a small bacterial cell.