The infections are diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacteria e virus.
While both can cause similar symptoms, such as fever and general malaise, their origin and impact on health are different.
Recognizing this difference is very important for the correct diagnosis and treatment, as the drugs used to treat them are different. Find out the details in the article.
Bacterial or viral infection: Similar symptoms, but different causes
If you feel unwell, the cause is often a bacterial or viral infection. The responsible bacteria and viruses are pathogens that can cause similar symptoms, but they differ in structure and function.
That is why there are important differences in diagnosis and treatment.
The main biological difference between the two pathogens is that bacteria are living beings, while viruses are not.
Bacteria are organisms unicellular, have the ability to multiply through cell division. They can have a wide variety of shapes, from rod-shaped to spherical.
The most common bacterial pathogens are streptococci, Escherichia coli, staphylococci and salmonella.
However, not all types of bacteria are pathogenic. There are also so-called “good” bacteria that help the body maintain its protective system. Among these are bacteria on the skin or in the gut, which help fight off other pathogens.
biologically, viruses are not living things. They lack their own metabolism. A virus is a protein shell that encloses genetic material (genome).
They can be divided into two groups on the basis of their genome: it can consist of single-stranded, RNA or double-stranded, DNA.
Unlike bacteria, viruses depend on a host cell. They multiply only with the help of the host cell, which they confiscate for their own purposes.
Bacterial or viral infection? The medical differences
Bacterial or viral infections are the cause of a whole range of diseases.
Bacterial diseases – The most common diseases caused by bacteria includeinflammation of the lungs, tonsils, middle ear or bladder and food poisoning.
Other diseases caused by bacterial infections are, for example, whooping cough, scarlet fever, tetanus, diphtheria, cholera, typhoid or plague, and gonorrhea, a venereal disease.
Viral diseases – Viral infections are, for example, the trigger of cold, bronchitis, fluherpes, mumps, measles, rubella, smallpox, polio, AIDS (HIV) as well as SARS and Covid-19.
But viruses can also cause inflammation in the pharynx, gastrointestinal tract, tonsils or liver (viral hepatitis). Infection usually occurs via droplets of saliva.
But there are also differences in the transmission:
- Another possibility of bacterial infection is infection through contaminated food, for example Salmonella;
- Insects can transmit viruses. This is the case, for example, of Nile fever.
Bacterial and viral infections: treatment differences
In order to properly treat bacterial or viral infections, it is important to know what causes them. Symptoms don’t always give clear indications of whether it’s a bacterial or viral infection.
In any case, you should consult a doctor, because only a medical diagnosis can clarify whether it is a bacterial or viral infection.
Treating a bacterial infection is fundamentally different from a viral infection.
Antibiotics are only effective for bacterial infections. They prevent further playback. In the case of a viral infection, however, antibiotics are ineffective.
Viral infections are mainly treated with antiviral agents. These preparations inhibit the spread. However, they cannot completely destroy the virus. For some viruses, the only solution is a vaccine.