These two rather nasty microbes share some similarities. The paradox comes in that they both cause mild to serious infections—although they are different. How these infections are treated is also different.
Regarding treatment, it is worth noting that antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections are powerless when it comes to viral infections, which further emphasizes why diagnostic immunology tests are important to tell the infections apart.
Let’s break it all down:
Bacteria vs Viruses
Let’s start with what they have in common: they both are microbes, which are organisms that are too tiny to see by the naked eye. Their infections also have more or less similar symptoms and more often than not can be transmitted the same way. That is the end of the similarities. Onto the differences:
Bacteria
Bacteria are relatively complex, single-celled organisms. Their cell wall is mainly rigid with a thin membrane surrounding the fluid in the cell. They can also reproduce on their own.
Bacteria have existed for about 3.5 billion years, which is astonishing to say the least. They can survive in different environments including in extreme temperatures. If you guessed radioactive waste, yes that too!
Even so, most bacteria are harmless, some helping with trivial body functions like destroying harmful microbes and sometimes fighting cancer cells. In fact, fewer than 1% of bacteria are harmful to humans.
Now, let’s talk about viruses.
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Viruses
Viruses are much smaller than bacteria. Even the largest viruses can’t match up to the smallest of bacteria. On matters of structure, they are made of a protein coat and a core of genetic material.
The biggest difference is that viruses, unlike bacteria, cannot survive without a host. They reproduce by attaching to cells and reprogramming the cells to make new viruses until the cells burst and die.
Alternatively, they turn normal cells into malignant cells. Viruses are nastier with most of them causing diseases with extra focus on the cells they attack.
Diagnosing Bacterial vs Viral Infections
Bacteria cause bacterial infections and viruses cause viral infections. Like I had earlier mentioned, symptoms of both infections are quite similar so telling bacterial vs viral infection apart is rather tricky.
For diagnosis, your doctor may need your blood for a blood test viral vs bacterial infection. Other serums that can be used include urine or a swab from your throat or nose. The most distinguishing factor when it comes to these two infections is the fact that antibiotics only work on bacterial infections.
Some common bacterial infections include tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, and strep throat. It is worth noting that even some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. This phenomenon is referred to as antibiotic resistance where microbes develop a resistance to drugs meant to kill them. The most common cause of antibiotic resistance, ironically, is the misuse of antibiotics.
Common examples of viral infections include common colds and chicken pox.
Some infections like pneumonia, meningitis and diarrhea can be caused by either so it’s very difficult to determine the chief instigator of the aforementioned ailments. Diagnostic immunology tests can help tell the difference and sometimes a biopsy of the affected tissue may be required.
Treating Bacterial and Viral Infections
Now that a blood test viral vs bacterial infection has confirmed your diagnosis, what next?
The discovery of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections is one of the most important breakthroughs in medical history. Be that as it may, bacteria have become very adaptable, mutating their very structure to remain undefeated against antibiotics.
When it comes to viral infections, the standard is staying ahead of the curve. After all, prevention is indeed better than cure, which is why vaccines are now available for lots of viral infections.
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