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What is the difference between a viral infection and a bacterial infection?

What is the difference between a viral infection and a bacterial infection & which is more severe?

  • Answer:

    A viral infection is caused by a virus, a bacterial one by a bacterium. Virii are very, very small packets, sometimes not more than a few strands of DNA. They infect cells and turn the nucleus into a kind of factory for producing more virus. Bacteria, on the other hand, are microscopic, single-celled organisms with their own fully developed organic systems. When they attack cells, they do so from the outside. Or they grow in systems and organs in the body and their waste products prove toxic. Some bacteria are more serious than some viruses, but bacteria are often susceptible to the effects of antibiotics. Treatment for viruses is not yet as effective, cheap, or widespread. Vaccinations can provide protection from some; there are some chemical and genetic therapies that attack the virus itself. These have shown some promise in treatment of HIV. Interestingly enough, the best way to grow some viruses is in cultures of bacteria. Hope this helps.

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A viral infection is caused by a virus, and a bacterial infection is caused by bacteria. The more severe form depends on what type of infection... for example, Meningitis - the bacterial form of meningitis is more severe than the viral form. Also, most ailments brough on by bacteria are "less severe" because they can be treated with antibiotics, where viral infections cannot.

notmakebelieve1984

Other than the obvious Viral infection = virus; bacterial infection = bacteria. Depending on the type of infection you acquire one could be more fatal than the other. Types of fatal viral infections include Lassa, Ebola and Marburg. All this come from the "filo" family and cause sever hemorrhaging. Some progress has been made with the creation of anti-viral medication. Example: using Ribavirin to treat Lassa. The dangers, with regards to Bacteria, is that its mutation rate is very much faster than that of viruses. So just because a certain antibiotic worked for a certain bacterial infection does not guarantee it will work again. Some antibiotic resistant bacteria that are sometimes fatal include VISA and MRSA. I hope this helps. If I confused you more I’m sorry I tend to do that a lot when talking about infectious diseases.

Lassa77

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