Agreed, @corpsvalues!
I once envisioned a virus-emulating display that tracked the spread of Homo Sapiens from Africa across the Earth's surface as a black area, while showing other species presence in color. As we spread and the black area invaded other habitats, the interface area would become increasingly black as the encountered species was replaced. No one could deny that we were the cause and - from the Earth's viewpoint - we are filling the function of a non-sustainable virus running unchecked throughout the biosphere. The once-habitable part of the planet is already some shade of black.
The big difference is that we KNOW we are doing that, and a virus does not.
Not that I'm pessimistic about our ultimate effect on this lovely blue marble.....