A component of coconut oil has been shown in lab tests to break down gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria have a different membrane and react to a dye test differently, allowing their identification. Gram-negative are usually "bad" bacteria while gram-positive are usually not a problem. The skeptics claim that testing the active component by itself doesn't mean that its presence in coconut oil will do the same thing... I know of no claims that coconut oil counters viruses.
