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What's The Difference Between Bacterial And Viral Infections?

Most bacterial and viral infections are contagious, and different types of pathogens may lead to symptoms of varying severity. Some illnesses may require antibiotics or antiviral treatments, while others may be prevented with the help of vaccinations.

In this article, we take a look at the primary differences between bacterial and viral infections. We explore how these infections are transmitted and treated and what you can do to prevent getting and passing them on.

Bacterial infections

Bacteria are tiny microorganisms that are made up of a single cell. They're very diverse and can have a large variety of shapes and structural features.

Bacteria can live in almost every conceivable environment, including in or on the human body.

Only a handful of bacteria cause infections in humans. These bacteria are referred to as pathogenic bacteria.

Viral infections

Viruses are another type of tiny microorganism, although they're even smaller than bacteria. Like bacteria, they're very diverse and have a variety of shapes and features.

Viruses are parasitic. That means they require living cells or tissue in which to grow.

Viruses can invade the cells of your body, using the components of your cells to grow and multiply. Some viruses even kill host cells as part of their life cycle.

Bacterial transmissions

Many bacterial infections are contagious, meaning that they can be transmitted from person to person. There are many ways this can occur, including:

close contact with a person who has a bacterial infection, including touching and kissing

contact with the body fluids of a person who has an infection, particularly after sexual contact or when the person coughs or sneezes

transmission from mother to child during pregnancy or birth

coming into contact with surfaces contaminated with the bacteria, such as doorknobs or faucet handles and then touching your face, nose, or mouth

In addition to being transmitted from person to person, bacterial infections can also be transmitted through the bite of an infected insect. Additionally, consuming contaminated food or water can also lead to an infection.

Viral transmissions

Like bacterial infections, many viral infections are also contagious. They can be transmitted from person to person in many of the same ways, including:

coming into close contact with a person who has a viral infection

contact with the body fluids of a person with a viral infection

transmission from mother to child during pregnancy or birth

coming into contact with contaminated surfaces

Also, similarly to bacterial infections, viral infections can be transmitted by the bite of an infected insect or through consuming food or water that has been contaminated.

Sometimes your doctor may be able to diagnose your condition based on your medical history and your symptoms.

For example, conditions like measles or chickenpox have very characteristic symptoms that can be diagnosed with a simple physical examination.

Additionally, if there's a current epidemic of a particular disease, your doctor will factor that into their diagnosis. An example is influenza, which causes seasonal epidemics in the cold months of every year.

If your doctor wants to know what type of organism may be causing your condition, they may take a sample to culture. Samples that can be used for culture vary by the suspected condition, but they can include:

When a microorganism is cultured, it allows your doctor to identify what's causing your condition. In the case of a bacterial infection, it can also help them determine which antibiotic may be helpful in treating your condition.

Treating viral infections

There's no specific treatment for many viral infections. Treatment is typically focused on relieving symptoms, while your body works to clear the infection. This can include things like:

drinking fluids to prevent dehydration

getting plenty of rest

using OTC pain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) to relieve aches, pains, and fever

taking OTC decongestants to help with a runny or stuffy nose

sucking on a throat lozenge to help ease a sore throat

Treating bacterial infections

Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections.

There are many types of antibiotics, but they all work to keep bacteria from effectively growing and dividing. They're not effective against viral infections.

You should only take antibiotics for a bacterial infection. But antibiotics are often requested for viral infections. This is dangerous because over-prescribing antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria adapt to be able to resist certain antibiotics. It can make many bacterial infections more difficult to treat.

If you're prescribed antibiotics for a bacterial infection, take your entire course of antibiotics — even if you begin to feel better after a couple of days. Skipping doses can prevent killing all of the pathogenic bacteria.

Is my stomach bug bacterial or viral?

When you experience symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal cramps, you likely have a stomach bug. But is it due to a viral or bacterial infection?

Stomach bugs generally fall into two categories based on how they're acquired:

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the digestive tract. It's caused by coming into contact with stool or vomit from a person with the infection, usually as a result of poor hand hygiene or hand-to-surface contact.

Food poisoning is an infection of the digestive tract caused by consuming contaminated food or liquids.

Gastroenteritis and food poisoning can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. Regardless of the cause, many times your symptoms will go away in 1 or 2 days with good home care.

However, symptoms that last longer than 3 days, cause bloody diarrhea, or lead to severe dehydration may indicate a more severe infection that requires prompt medical treatment.

Is my cold bacterial or viral?

A cold can cause a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, and low fever, but is a cold bacterial or viral?

The common cold is caused by a number of different viruses, although rhinoviruses are most often the culprit.

There's not much you can do to treat a cold except wait it out and use OTC medications to help relieve your symptoms.

In some cases, a secondary bacterial infection may develop during or following a cold. Common examples of secondary bacterial infections include:

Can you use mucus color to determine if it's a bacterial or viral infection?

You should avoid using mucus color to determine whether you have a viral or bacterial infection.

There's a long-held belief that green mucus indicates a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics. In fact, green mucus is actually caused by substances released by your immune cells in response to a foreign invader.

You can have green mucus due to many things, including:

You can follow these tips to help prevent becoming ill with bacterial or viral infections.

Practice good hygiene

Be sure to wash your hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and before and after handling food.

Avoid touching your face, mouth, or nose if your hands aren't clean. Don't share personal items, such as:

eating utensils

drinking glasses

toothbrushes

Get vaccinated

Many vaccines are available to help prevent several viral and bacterial illnesses. Examples of vaccine-preventable diseases include:

Talk with your doctor about the vaccines that are available to you.

Don't go out if you're sick

Stay home if you're ill to help prevent transmitting the infection to other people.

If you must go out, wash your hands frequently and sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow or into a tissue. Be sure to properly dispose of any used tissues.

Practice safe sex

Using condoms or other barrier methods can help prevent getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Limiting your number of sexual partners has also been shown to reduce your risk of getting an STI.

Make sure food is cooked thoroughly

Make sure all meats are cooked to the proper temperature. Be sure to thoroughly wash any raw fruits or vegetables before eating.

Don't let leftover food items sit at room temperature. Instead, refrigerate them promptly.

Protect against bug bites

Be sure to use insect repellent containing ingredients like as DEET or picaridin if you're going to be outside where insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks, are prevalent.

Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts, if possible.

Bacteria and viruses cause many common infections, and these infections can be passed on in many of the same ways.

Sometimes your doctor can diagnose your condition by a simple physical examination. Other times, they may need to take a sample to culture to determine if a bacterial or viral infection is causing your illness.

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. Treatment of viral infections focuses on treating symptoms while the infection runs its course. Although in some cases, antiviral medications may be used.

You can help prevent getting sick with or transmitting bacterial and viral infections by:

practicing good hygiene

getting vaccinated

staying home when you're sick

Can Adults Get RSV?

Medically reviewed by Anju Goel, MD, MPH

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an infection that can be passed from children to adults. While most healthy adults with RSV infection usually can be treated at home, older infected adults may be hospitalized if they require additional medical support for breathing, eating, and drinking. This is true for infants younger than 6 months old, as well.

Find out more about RSV in adults, including RSV complications, how long you are contagious with RSV, your treatment options, and how to protect high-risk, vulnerable adults from RSV.

Related:What Is RSV?

When Do Adults Get RSV?

Adults can get RSV after being exposed to the virus causing the infection. This viral transmission of RSV can occur when:

A person with RSV infection coughs or sneezes.

Virus droplets from a cough or sneeze get into your eyes, nose, or mouth.

You have direct contact with the virus (e.G., you kiss someone who is contagious with RSV).

You have indirect contact with the virus (e.G., you touch a surface that has the virus on it, like a doorknob or tabletop and then touch your face before washing your hands).

How to Tell If You Have RSV or a Cold

If you're not sure whether your symptoms are RSV or a cold, testing can be done to confirm the virus responsible. However, your healthcare provider may make a diagnosis of RSV based on your symptoms and medical history alone. If testing does occur, it is typically done with a nasal swab to check for signs of viral activity.

If you want to know if you have an RSV infection as an adult, you can get an at-home testing kit without a prescription. These tests check for RSV, flu, and COVID-19 using one sample from a nasal swab. After you collect your sample, you'll send it to a designated lab for testing.

Related:Recurrent Respiratory Infections in Adults

Complications of RSV Symptoms in High-Risk Adults

Complications of severe RSV symptoms in high-risk adults include pneumonia. People in this group include:

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Adults who are 65 years and older

Adults with chronic lung or heart disease

Adults with compromised immune systems or immune system disorders

Typically, people infected with RSV experience mild, cold-like symptoms, but this depends on their personal health history and current condition. Mild symptoms include runny nose, coughing, appetite loss, wheezing, sneezing, and fever. Serious symptoms lead some to wonder if RSV is deadly. There are cases in which RSV infection has progressed to serious lung infections and pneumonia, which can cause death.

Having an RSV infection can make existing chronic conditions worse, including the following:

Complications of severe RSV in high-risk adults can be dangerous and may require hospitalization. 

Bear in mind that a mild infection for healthy adults can be potentially deadly for someone who is at high risk. Some 60,000–160,000 older adults in the United States are hospitalized each year due to RSV infection, and an estimated 6,000–10,000 of them die due to complications of RSV infection.

Related:Types of Pneumonia

How Long Are People Contagious With RSV?

When infected with RSV, you usually are contagious for three to eight days after symptoms start. However, you can be contagious up to a day or two before showing symptoms. High-risk and vulnerable people can remain contagious for up to four weeks after symptoms resolve.

Related:How Long Are You Contagious With a Cold?

Treatment: RSV in Adults

Most cases of RSV in adults will resolve independently without treatment within a week or two. Use over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications or fever reducers for RSV symptom management. Adults hospitalized with RSV infection will receive additional treatment.

Treatment for severe RSV in adults ensures the patient can breathe, drink, and eat adequately and safely. These treatments can include:

Oxygen therapy

Intravenous (IV) fluids to prevent or treat dehydration

Mechanical ventilation or breathing support

Tube feeding if swallowing isn't possible

Suction of mucus to clear airways

Related:Important Items to Pack for the Hospital

How to Protect High-Risk Adults from RSV

There is no vaccine to protect high-risk adults from RSV infection. However, there are steps you can take to help protect high-risk adults in your family and community. These methods of protection are geared toward reducing the risk of spreading viral infection.

Ways to prevent the spread of RSV infection and help reduce risk to high-risk adults include:

Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds often or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.

Avoid touching your face, including rubbing your eyes, wiping your nose, or touching your mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact, including kissing, sharing eating utensils, or drinking from cups of people with cold or flu-like symptoms.

Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve. Throw tissues away or wash shirts as soon as possible.

Disinfect surfaces and objects that people frequently touch, such as toys, doorknobs, and mobile devices to remove potential droplets with RSV germs.

If possible, stay home from work, school, and public areas when you are sick to help prevent the spread of germs.

Read Next:The Hidden Risks of Antibacterial Soap

Summary

RSV infection can be passed to adults and cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. RSV is contagious for several days after symptoms start, but in persons with reduced immune system functioning, the illness can still be spread for some weeks after symptoms resolve. Older adults and adults with compromised immune systems or coexisting health conditions like asthma or heart disease are considered vulnerable to infection and health complications from RSV.

You can test for RSV at home or at a healthcare provider's office. Treatment beyond OTC therapies usually is not necessary, unless in severe cases in which hospitalization is required to help a person breathe, eat, or get fluids. Preventing the spread of germs with proper hygiene and avoiding contact with people infected with RSV is recommended to help protect high-risk adults.

Care Plan Your Doctor Would Usually Recommend For Cold Sores

© Provided by Getty Images Cold Sores

Overview

A common viral infection caused by herpes simplex virus which results in fluid-filled blisters on or around the lips.

Symptoms

The infection causes fluid-filled, tiny blisters around the lips that can gradually burst, oozing fluid and eventually form crusts.

What are people curious about? How to get rid of cold sores Cold sores on lips Cold sore treatment Cold sore in mouth

Causes

Cold sores are highly contagious herpes simplex virus infection that spread from person-to-person.

Diagnosis

The doctor can diagnose cold sores by just looking at the blisters. Laboratory testing may be done for confirmation.

→ Common treatment options

→ How is this diagnosed?

Highlights

Diagnosed by medical professional

Often requires lab test or imaging

Can last several days or weeks

Transmitted through direct contact

Medications

Antivirals: Either in the form of oral pills or creams to be applied on the sores; drugs in injection forms are recommended in severe cases.

Acyclovir . Valacyclovir . Famciclovir

Analgesics: To relieve pain.

Ibuprofen . Acetaminophen

→ Do you have a health question on your mind for cold sores? Ask professionals from across the world

→ Interested to know more? Check out the full article here

For informational purposes only. Consult a medical professional for advice. Source: Focus Medica.

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