Viralandbacterial infectionscan both make you sick.
Symptoms of viral and bacterial infections can range from mild to severe.
Without treatment, some can even threaten your life.
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A viral infection is an illness triggered by a virus.
Common viral infections includeCOVID-19,influenza(the flu), andchicken pox.
Bacterial infections are due to bacteria.
These types of germs cause ailments that includestrep throat,tetanus, andanthrax.
When you are sick,antibioticscan kill bacteria, but not viruses.
It is one of the key ways these two germ types differ.
This article contains details about the ways these infections vary and how they affect your body.
It also highlights symptoms, treatments, testing, and ways to prevent them.
Antibiotics do not work on viruses.
Viruses are infectious parasites that require a living host to survive and multiply.
They are the smallest germs, whose only components include genetic material encased in protein.
When viruses infect a host, they grow and reproduce inside the cells.
In doing so, they can damage, kill, or change the cells they infect.
Viruses also have the following characteristics:
Bacteria are single-celled organisms that exist and reproduce almost anywhere alone.
Most bacteria don’t make you sick.
This is usually conducted by a healthcare provider.
The pop in of specimen collected depends on the pop in of germ that is suspected.
Some tests identifyantibodiesthat your body has made against a virus after the incubation period.
When antibodies of a specific virus are found, it can indicate that you have immunity to the virus.
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs)are generally accurate and highly sensitive.
They are regarded to test for viral infections.
The sample is then sent to a lab.
A blood test called acomplete blood count (CBC)may also be used to diagnose a bacterial infection.
This test measures counts for white blood cells, red blood cells, and blood platelets.
When a specific infection is suspected, your blood test may be ordered as a CBC with differential.
This is key to getting the right treatment for the infection involved.
This is why it’s necessary to use laboratory testing to confirm the source of your disease.
Some diseases, like meningitis, can be sparked by either bacteria or viruses.
Treating an infection sparked by a virus is more challenging than treating one sparked by bacteria.
Antibiotics are powerful drugs that kill or stop the growth of certain infections triggered by bacteria.
They can treat serious bacterial infections likesepsisandpneumonia.
They can also treat common infections like UTIs, strep throat, andEscherichia coli(E. coli).
However, taking antibiotics for a viral infection is useless and can even threaten your health.
There are no equivalents to antibiotics for viral infections.
When effective, these drugs work in slowing viral replication.
Prevention
Preventing the transmission of viral and bacterial infections can be challenging.
Many infections are contagious and can be spread through person-to-person or indirect contact before symptoms occur.
Getting a lab test is often the only way to diagnose your illness.
Finding out which punch in of germ is making you sick is key to getting the right treatment.
Vaccines can prevent or reduce the impact of the germs they target.
That doesn’t mean that you should take your symptoms lightly any time they occur.
If you have one of a few specific viruses, you may qualify for treatment with an antiviral drug.
This can give you the best chance of feeling better faster.
Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and/or headache.
Symptoms can last from three days to around a week, then get better on their own.
Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections.
They don’t work against viral infections.
Taking antibiotics for a viral infection can increase your risk of side effects and contribute to antibiotic resistance.
Some viral infections can be treated with antiviral medications.
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