can I get a virus read my email messagge?

Can I get a virus by reading my email messages?Most viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are activated when you open an attachment or click a link contained in an email message. If your email client allows scripting, then it is possible to get a virus by simply opening a message. It's best to limit what HTML is available in your emailmessages. The safest way to view email messages is in plain text.