Viruses on Linux aren’t all that common, but they do still exist. So, it’s a good idea to set up an antivirus on your Linux desktop, and perform a scan every so often. It’s also a good idea to scan any new files you bring on to your computer to ensure that they’re safe.
On Linux, there isn’t the same wealth of antivirus options as there is on other operating systems. That’s mostly because there isn’t a need. That’s alright, though. ClamAV does the job very well.
It’s also worth noting that ClamAV doesn’t behave like a Windows antivirus. It doesn’t hog up RAM or run in the background all the time. It also doesn’t have all of the extra bells and whistles. It scans for viruses, and that’s about all.