Virus database update, could it be a virus?

[javilleg]

Please I do need help about this.

I bought 2 weeks ago a 3 years- 3PCs avast! Internet Security License  . I noticed that the virus database evry time it gets updated the number of definitions grow and grow. For example the virus database 100902-0 was of 2,968,370 definitions, the 100903-1 virus database was of 2,972,182... but ever since 100906-1 the virus database is being reduced every time it gets updated instead of getting bigger, today's update (100907-0) is just 2,600,919 definitions big!!!    is getting smaller and smaller!!!    Why is this happening? is it some kind of virus that is corrupting my avast! Internet Security program or is it a completelly normal program behavior??? please I need to know, I would be very very thankful 

[DavidR]

The numbers will increase on a daily basis, but right now there is a database optimisation going on (spring clean) and that is why you see the lower figure.

Personally in over six and a half years of using avast I find absolutely no benefit in monitoring this figure as the wording below it is more relevant.

See http://blog.avast.com/2010/09/06/spring-cleaning-in-our-virus-database/.

[yongsua]

Maybe.Pls read this article:http://blog.avast.com/2009/12/10/bad-definition-update/ and this http://blog.avast.com/2009/12/10/bad-definition-update/

[Pondus]

Maybe.Pls read this article:http://blog.avast.com/2009/12/10/bad-definition-update/ and this http://blog.avast.com/2009/12/10/bad-definition-update/

This have absolutely nothing to do with what the poster is asking about