Recognize a viral or bacterial infection. Bacterial and viral infection: differences and characteristics

Content

If a bacterial infection has entered the body, the symptoms of the pathological process are similar to signs of intoxication, require treatment with and without antibiotics. The general condition of the patient worsens, and the disturbed temperature regime is bedridden. Bacterial diseases are successfully amenable to conservative treatment, the main thing is not to start the spread of pathogenic flora.

What is a bacterial infection

Infectious or not

To get an answer to this question, you need to know all the existing types of bacterial infections and undergo diagnostics in a timely manner to identify the pathogen. For the most part, such pathogenic microorganisms are dangerous to humans, they are transmitted by household contact, airborne droplets and alimentary routes. After the infection enters the body, inflammation, acute intoxication, and tissue damage occur, while the body's immune response decreases.

Symptoms of a bacterial infection

Symptoms are similar to signs of general intoxication of an organic resource, accompanied by high body temperature and severe chills. Pathogenic flora, as it were, poisons an organic resource, releasing waste products into once healthy tissues, blood. Common symptoms of a bacterial infection are listed below:

• fever;
• increased sweating;
• acute migraine attacks;
• nausea, less often - vomiting;
• dizziness;
• general weakness, malaise;
• complete lack of appetite.

In children

Patients in childhood are much more susceptible to bacterial lesions, since the general state of immunity leaves much to be desired. With the release of toxins, the symptoms only increase, chaining the child to bed, forcing parents to go on sick leave. Here are some changes in children's well-being that you need to pay special attention to:

• constant moodiness;
• tearfulness, lethargy;
• temperature instability;
• fever, chills;
• pronounced signs of dyspepsia;
• skin rashes of unknown etiology;
• the appearance of a white coating on the tonsils with severe soreness of the throat.

Bacterial infections in women

In respiratory diseases of the respiratory tract, it is very often a bacterial infection. As an option, angina, pharyngitis, laryngitis progresses, which are accompanied by recurrent sore throat, less often - purulent discharge from the pharynx. Microbes cause the following changes in the female body:

• temperature jump up to 40 degrees;
• choking cough with progressive coryza;
• pronounced signs of intoxication;
• violation of the intestinal microflora, vagina;
• acute otitis, depending on the location of the infection;
• prolonged bouts of diarrhea;
• signs of decreased immunity.

Signs of a bacterial infection

In order for the diagnosis of bacterial infections to be timely, it is necessary to pay attention to the first changes in the general well-being of the patient, not to refer to the classic cold, which “will pass by itself”. Should be alert:

• frequent trips to the toilet, diarrhea;
• feeling of nausea, complete lack of appetite;
• a sharp decrease in body weight;
• temperature rise above 39 degrees;
• painful sensations of different localization depending on the nature of the infection, its localization.

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one

Bacteriological analysis is indispensable, since this is the basis of diagnosis and the ability to correctly differentiate the final diagnosis. However, an adult patient is able to independently distinguish the nature, localization of the focus of pathology. This is important for future treatment, since bacterial lesions are successfully treated with the participation of antibiotics, while pathogenic viruses cannot be eradicated with antibiotics.

The main difference between a bacterial infection and a viral one is as follows: in the first case, the focus of pathology is local, in the second it is more systemic. Thus, pathogenic viruses infect the entire body, dramatically reducing overall well-being. As for bacteria, they have a narrow specialization, for example, they rapidly develop laryngitis or tonsillitis. To determine the virus in such a clinical picture, a general blood test is required, to identify the bacterial flora - sputum analysis (in case of infection of the lower respiratory tract).

Kinds

After inflammation of the mucous membranes and the appearance of other symptoms of bacterial damage, it is required to determine the nature of the pathogenic flora by laboratory means. Diagnosis is carried out in a hospital, the collection of anamnesis data is not enough to make a final diagnosis. In modern medicine, the following types of infections are declared, which have a predominantly bacterial flora and cause such dangerous diseases of the body:

1. Acute intestinal bacterial infections: salmonellosis, dysentery, typhoid fever, food poisoning, campylobacteriosis.
2. Bacterial lesions of the skin: erysipelas, impetigo, phlegmon, furunculosis, hidradenitis.
3. Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract: sinusitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, bronchitis.
4. Blood bacterial infections: tularemia, typhus, plague, trench fever.

Diagnostics

In the process of reproduction of pathogenic bacteria in the absence of timely therapy, the infectious process becomes chronic. In order not to become carriers of dangerous infections, it is required to undergo a comprehensive examination in a timely manner. This is a mandatory general blood test, which shows an increased number of leukocytes, a jump in ESR. Other changes in the body fluid of an infected person are listed below:

• an increase in neutrophilic granulocytes;
• shift of the leukocyte formula to the left;
• an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

To avoid the development and spread of a chronic disease, the following types of clinical examinations are recommended:

1. Bacteriological (study of the habitat of microbes, creation of favorable conditions for the formation of viable colonies in the laboratory).
2. Serological (detection of specific antibodies in the blood to certain types of pathogenic microbes - under a microscope they differ in color).
3. Microscopic (after sampling, the biological material is examined in detail under a microscope, at the cellular level).

How to Treat a Bacterial Infection

The pathological process begins with an incubation period, the duration of which depends on the nature of the pathogenic flora, its localization and activity. The main goal of the implementation of conservative methods is to prevent blood poisoning, to restore the general well-being of the clinical patient. The treatment is symptomatic, here are the valuable recommendations of competent specialists:

1. The appointment of antibiotics and representatives of other pharmacological groups should be carried out exclusively by the attending physician, since individual microorganisms are immune to certain medicines.
2. In addition to conservative treatment, you need to reconsider your daily diet, habitual lifestyle. For example, it is useful to completely abandon salty and fatty foods, bad habits and excessive passivity. Be sure to strengthen weak immunity.
3. Symptomatic treatment should be carried out depending on the location of the focus of the pathology, the affected body system. For example, in diseases of the respiratory system, mucolytics and expectorants are needed, and with tonsillitis, antibiotics cannot be dispensed with.

Antibiotics

If bronchitis or pneumonia occurs, such dangerous diseases must be treated with antibiotics in order to avoid extremely unpleasant complications with the health of an adult patient and a child. Among the side effects we are talking about allergic reactions, digestive disorders and more. Therefore, the appointment of antibiotics should be carried out exclusively by the attending physician after diagnosis. So:

1. To slow down the growth of pathogenic flora, bacteriostatic agents such as Tetracycline, Chloramphenicol in tablets are prescribed.
2. To exterminate a bacterial infection, bactericidal preparations such as Penicillin, Rifamycin, Aminoglycosides are recommended.
3. Among the representatives of antibiotics of the penicillin series, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, Amoxicillin are especially in demand.

How to cure a bacterial infection without antibiotics

Symptomatic therapy for an adult and a child is carried out according to medical indications. For example, in the fight against headaches, you will have to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, Nurofen, Ibuprofen. If there are pains of another localization, they can be removed with Diclofenac. To cure a bacterial infection without antibiotics, the following medications are recommended:

1. Diclofenac. Painkillers that additionally relieve inflammation have bactericidal properties.
2. Regidron. Salt solution, which is supposed to be taken in case of acute intoxication of the body to remove the infection.

How to treat a bacterial infection in children

In childhood, with acute infections, it is recommended to drink plenty of water, symptomatic treatment. Antibiotics are required to be abandoned if the disease is at an early stage, secondary microbes are absent. With an upper respiratory tract infection, cough medicines, mucolytics will be needed. For diseases of the throat, it is better to use local antiseptics - Lugol, Chlorophyllipt. Patients with meningitis should be urgently hospitalized.

Prevention

The penetration of pathogenic flora into the body can be prevented. To do this, at any age, it is recommended to adhere to the following preventive recommendations of a knowledgeable specialist:

• preventive vaccination;
• exclusion of prolonged hypothermia of the body;
• strengthening immunity;
• compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
• proper nutrition for adults and children, vitamins.

Video

Attention! The information provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give recommendations for treatment, based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

Discuss

Bacterial infection in children and adults

Viruses and bacteria are the main causes of the disease. But they have a completely different structure and mechanism of development in the human body, therefore, the approach to the treatment of inflammatory pathologies should correspond to the pathogen. To develop the right therapy, you need to know exactly how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one, pay attention to their specific symptoms.

How is a viral infection different from a bacterial one?

A combination of protein and nucleic acids that enters a living cell and modifies it is a virus. For distribution and development, it necessarily needs a carrier.

It is a complete living cell that can reproduce on its own. To function, it needs only favorable conditions.

Differences between viral and bacterial infections are the causative agent of the disease. But it can be quite difficult to notice the difference between them, especially if the pathology has affected the respiratory tract - the symptoms of both types of the disease are very similar.

How to determine the bacterial or viral nature of the infection?

The differences between the characteristic signs of the described forms of lesions are so insignificant that even doctors do not make an accurate diagnosis only on the basis of the clinical manifestations of the disease. The best way to distinguish a viral pathology from a bacterial infection is through a clinical blood test. Counting the number of specific cells of the biological fluid helps to accurately identify the causative agent of the disease.

You can independently try to determine the nature of the pathology by such symptoms.

In the spring-autumn period, the incidence of respiratory infections increases. Disease symptoms may vary. It depends on the type of pathogenic bacterium, its localization, the physiological characteristics of the body and the degree of spread of the inflammatory process. In respiratory diseases in the initial stages, there is usually no specific diagnosis, because a specific disease can be suspected only by clinical symptoms.

It is important to start treatment on time and prevent infectious pathogens from causing complications.

bacterial infection

Bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract can be caused by bacteria such as corynebacterium, Haemophilus influenzae, whooping cough, meningococcus, pneumococcus, streptococcus, and others. The route of transmission is predominantly airborne and contact. The frequency of damage and susceptibility depend on the degree of reactivity of each individual. Individuals with a weakened immune system will get sick with any infections much more often.

A bacterial cold requires the appointment of antibacterial drugs (antibiotics) to prevent the development of complications in other organs and systems.

There are several periods of the course of a bacterial infection:

1. Incubation- the time from the first contact with the diseased to the clinical manifestations of the disease. One of the main differences between a bacterial infection and a viral one is a longer incubation period: from 3 to 14 days. In lengthening this period, an important role is played by the susceptibility of the body, stress, overwork or hypothermia. The causative agent, getting into the respiratory tract, may not immediately cause the disease, but a weakened immune system will provoke the development of the disease after a few days.
2. Premonitory- the time of the first manifestations of the disease. In some bacterial infections, this period is absent, and the infection itself is a complication of an acute respiratory viral infection. Viral begins with an erased picture and is manifested mainly by a general deterioration in the condition. Bacterial - has a specific point of application, all the symptoms of the disease will be associated with it.

For example, streptococcal tonsillitis. The causative agent is group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus, which acts on its point of application - the tonsils and is manifested by tonsillitis or tonsillitis. But if angina is not treated with antibacterial drugs, streptococcus is able to affect the heart and joints, which are also its point of application in case of dissemination (spread) of the pathogen through the blood. In such situations, acquired heart defects and joint deformities can be observed.

Angina is often observed in children.

Pathology can cause various viruses, chlamydia. If there is no runny nose, cough, manifestations of conjunctivitis with angina, this is a streptococcal form. It can penetrate into the upper respiratory tract from the skin, where it is found as an opportunistic microflora. You can not postpone going to the doctor, especially if the inflammatory process develops in a child. Due to the physiological characteristics of the child's body, the infection tends to settle on the tonsils and degenerate into a chronic form.

Localization of a bacterial infection

The clinic of individual forms of bacterial lesions of the upper respiratory tract has its own characteristics, often they are associated with the localization of pathogenic bacteria:

Disease	Localization	Symptoms
Bacterial pharyngitis	down the throat	pain or sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, if the infection has already gone down, then the presence of a cough is noted; bad breath, due to the release of metabolic products of bacteria in the throat; headache, weakness, general fatigue; the presence of a skin rash, especially common with streptococcal infections and more often in children
Bacterial rhinosinusitis	Inflammatory process occurring in the nasal mucosa and sinuses	runny nose with green-yellow discharge, pain in the projection of the sinus sinuses, which can radiate (shoot) into the ear or jaw; sore throat; nasal congestion; cough, more pronounced in the morning; fever, more common in children
Epiglottitis	Inflammatory disease occurring in the epiglottis	sore throat; increased salivation, hoarseness of voice; cough, mostly dry; dyspnea
Laryngotracheitis	Inflammatory lesions of the larynx and trachea	loss or hoarseness of the voice; cough, dry or barking (common manifestation of laryngitis in children); dyspnea; apnea, i.e. breath holding

Inflammation is not always local in nature; within a few days, bacteria colonize nearby anatomical structures, and the pathological process becomes more widespread. At the same time, the symptoms of intoxication increase, the specific clinical picture becomes blurred. Difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. The volume of ongoing therapeutic manipulations increases, and the rehabilitation period is prolonged.

The difference between the pathological process depending on the pathogen

A person is able to distinguish a bacterial infection from a viral one on his own, for this you will need to observe the condition and determine the symptoms, the timing of their occurrence and other features of the disease:

It is possible to distinguish a bacterial infection from a viral one at the onset of the disease with a careful analysis of the symptoms. It is important to start treatment according to the etiology of the disease as soon as possible.

How to treat bacterial diseases of the upper respiratory tract?

Bacterial respiratory diseases require hospitalization of patients only if complications develop or if there is a pronounced intoxication syndrome. The doctor examines, conducts the necessary examinations and prescribes appropriate therapy, which the patient is able to carry out independently at home. Treatment regimen:

1. Antibacterial therapy. The main purpose of the use of antibiotics is the destruction of the pathogen, reducing the risk of chronic infection, preventing complications and reducing clinical manifestations. Broad-spectrum drugs are usually used. Only a doctor is competent to help with the choice, since there are many nuances for certain types of pathogens, the age of the patient and the presence of concomitant pathologies are taken into account.
2. Prebiotics and probiotics. When antibiotics are prescribed for a course of up to 7 days, lactobacillus preparations are taken together as a preventive measure for the development of dysbacteriosis. Antibacterial agents are detrimental to the entire microflora. You need to take Linex, Bifidumbacterin, etc. They contribute to recovery and increase immunity, by restoring the intestinal microflora.
3. Mucolytics and expectorantsdrugs are prescribed for dry cough, in order to expel sputum. If not, then it is advisable to take antitussives.

For detoxification, Regidron is used inside, which helps to remove bacteria and their toxins from the body.

If the process of bacterial inflammation is limited, then you can stop at local antibiotic washing, without systemic administration of the drug. An aqueous solution of chlorhexidine and Miramistin have a proven antimicrobial effect. They are indicated for local irrigation of the throat, nasal passages, etc.

Broad spectrum antibiotic

First, the patient is shown bed rest, for 3-5 days at home, with limitation of hypothermia and visits to crowded places. Intoxication of the body implies depletion and loss of important trace elements, so you need to drink more clean water and include fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet.

Prevention of the development of a bacterial infection contributes to the prevention of:

• vitamin therapy;
• exclusion of stress and frequent, prolonged hypothermia of the body;
• the use of preventive vaccinations;
• correct diet;
• compliance with the rules of personal hygiene.

Alternative medicine

To cope with a bacterial infection without antibiotics will not work, but treatment with folk remedies has a pronounced auxiliary effect. Vitamin and herbal preparations help relieve intoxication, eliminate signs of inflammation, and strengthen the immune system. With the development of a strong cough, pharmacy fees based on coltsfoot, licorice root and chamomile will help (they are taken 3 times a day for 1-2 weeks):

Raspberry, blackcurrant, chamomile have a good anti-inflammatory effect. Decoctions and herbal teas based on them have no restrictions and contraindications for bacterial infections. They are used both at the time of treatment and during the rehabilitation period. After recovery, a sparing work regime and restriction of physical activity for 1-2 weeks are shown.

Not sure how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one? Then, first of all, pay attention to whether there is a sharp pain in the throat, what is the dynamics of the increase in body temperature. If the throat hurts or tickles, but there is no temperature, then you are dealing with a bacterial infection, but a high body temperature without signs of local pain is evidence of viruses. These are two signs by which the nature of pathogens can be distinguished. But even if you think that you have recognized the cause of the disease, do not neglect the visit to the therapist. It won't take long, but it can save you from the unpleasant consequences of self-treatment.

People are exposed to colds quite often, but they cannot always distinguish a viral cold from a bacterial one.

The common cold is a disease associated with hypothermia. This is a simple truth that mankind has found out long ago. But a viral infection or a bacterial one was the cause of the disease, people were able to distinguish much later.

But what happens to the tissues at the time of hypothermia, why they become inflamed and cease to function normally, and today not everyone knows. Whereas the answers to these questions would help to form the correct tactics for the prevention and treatment of colds.

As you know, painful changes in human tissues and organs occur only under the influence of pathogenic microorganisms. The throat itself does not inflame. Qatar is a tissue reaction to the activity of pathogenic microbes (of viral or bacterial origin). Sometimes the causative agents are fungi or protozoa, but the cold is not affected by such agents.

The most common illnesses associated with the common cold are:

• influenza and SARS (viral infections);
• pharyngitis and laryngitis (may be viral or bacterial);
• pneumonia and tonsillitis (bacterial diseases).

Angina is caused by bacteria and is treated with antibiotics.

What process, which contributes to the damage to the tissues of the upper respiratory tract by pathogens, is triggered by hypothermia of the body? Staying in a cold environment is the reason for the decrease in the temperature of the human body. Such a decrease signals that it is necessary to increase blood flow to the internal organs, and the blood supply to the upper respiratory tract is noticeably reduced.

Normal human body temperature (36.6°C) is high for viral and bacterial agents. They, getting into such conditions, die. But with a decrease in temperature in the tissues of the nasopharynx, a favorable environment arises for pathogenic microbes, they take root and begin to multiply.

At the moment of hypothermia, the protective functions of the body are significantly weakened. If pathogens enter the mucosa, they practically do not encounter immune resistance and begin to actively multiply, poisoning this area with the products of their vital activity. It takes a very short time (several hours) for a viral pathogen or a bacterium to cause acute inflammation. Then the preventive measures of immunity will not cope with the toxins of pathogens.

In addition to infectious diseases associated with hypothermia, diseases provoked by infection from carriers of pathogenic microbes are not uncommon. Such infections include meningitis, measles, whooping cough, etc.

Why you need to be able to distinguish the cause of a cold

If we consider the initial symptoms of infections caused by different pathogens, they are similar. Determining the difference is very difficult. Typical cold symptoms include:

• aches in the bones;
• sore throat;
• headache;
• runny nose;
• general weakness and malaise.

Even a doctor can not always immediately distinguish ARVI from pharyngitis. But already at this stage of the disease, it is necessary to start treatment, because the developing infection becomes more and more dangerous every hour. The first measures must be taken with extreme caution: agents that fight bacteria cannot destroy the viral infection, and antiviral drugs are useless in the fight against bacterial infections.

For this reason, the recognition of the cause of the disease cannot be neglected. Until this reason is clarified, it is only recommended to increase the overall immunity of the body, which in itself will have a positive effect on the treatment.

How to recognize a bacterial infection

Microbiology is the scientific basis for how to distinguish between different infectious agents. But even with the current level of development of science, operational methods for determining the nature of pathogens in patients have not yet been developed. The difference can only be established on the basis of laboratory tests of blood and urine. The difference is fixed by the content of leukocytes.

A blood test will help to distinguish the nature of the infection.

A good opportunity to distinguish one from the other would be a test for a respiratory infection caused by viruses or bacteria. But the production of such tests is only in the future, and at the moment they are not on sale. Therefore, in everyday life, we will have to try to distinguish pathogens for a long time, relying only on our own knowledge and an attentive approach to health.

To understand how to distinguish the pathogenic influence of pathogenic bacteria from the destructive influence of viruses, it is necessary to have a minimal understanding of the nature of both.

A bacterium is a single-celled microorganism that can live and function independently. Tissue affected by pathogenic bacteria is exposed to bacterial toxins. To gain access to nutrients, the bacterium poisons the cells of the human body. With a sufficient amount of organic matter and the absence of immune resistance, the bacterial colony grows very quickly in the affected area.

Bacteria cause various diseases

Symptoms of a bacterial infection are:

• rapidly growing inflammation in a localized area of ​​​​tissue (you can observe the focus of inflammation in visible areas of the upper respiratory tract);
• lack of high temperature in the early stages.

If only the throat hurts and burns, but there is no temperature and the general condition is satisfactory, then most likely the upper respiratory tract is infected with streptococcus or staphylococcus aureus. These are bacteria that are human symbionts. As long as the immune system is working properly, they exist on the surface of tissues in a depressed state. But if immunity weakens, then favorable conditions arise for these pathogens.

Most often, bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. But if a person initially has strong immunity and after a slight decline he recovered, then it is highly likely that the disease will recede even without antibiotics.

How to distinguish a viral infection

A viral infection is a more common cold. To get sick, just two conditions are enough:

• penetration of the virus into the body;
• the absence of a person developed immunity to this type of virus.

By itself, a virus is not even an organism, but a part of a DNA or RNA molecule, which has a mechanism for incorporating into living, full-fledged cells. That is, a foreign molecule with its own program of action penetrates into the tissue cells of the human body, containing its own DNA and RNA, and begins to multiply in a favorable environment. The donor cell dies, releasing a mass of multiplying viruses into the intercellular space, which infect healthy cells.

Viruses and bacteria look different

The infection spreads very quickly, and already in the first hours of infection, the body responds with high fever, headache and runny nose. There are practically no foci of inflammation on the visible surfaces of the respiratory tract. This is the difference between a virus and a bacterial pathogen.

A generalized viral infection spreads until the body finds an immune response to such an attack. The task of the patient at this moment is to maximally support the defenses of his immunity, for which bed rest, drinking plenty of water, taking vitamins and a sparing diet are recommended.

Childhood diseases

Colds in children are the same as in adults. The only difference is that an adult can independently analyze the internal state, and the parents should help the child. To determine if a viral or bacterial infection has caused the child's illness:

• inspect the upper respiratory tract for inflammation;
• control body temperature;
• watch for mucous secretions.

Children are exposed to diseases much more often than adults

The information collected over several hours of observation will help you make a preliminary conclusion and distinguish the pathogen by choosing between a viral and bacterial infection.

Cases are not ruled out when both viral and bacterial infectious agents, the so-called mixed infections, are simultaneously activated in the human body. They are possible with a sharp weakening of the immune system. It's too late to tell if it's a bacterium or a virus. Self-medication in such cases is strictly contraindicated, since it is impossible to mix antibacterial and antiviral therapy without medical supervision. Therefore, if you suspect a complication, contact your therapist immediately.

Diseases lie in wait for a person, test the strength of the body and force humanity to constantly look for new and new ways to fight and methods of protection against them in the future. Every person was sick with colds.

Everyone is familiar with the medical terms - viral and bacterial infection, not everyone thought about how they differ from each other and whether they have something in common, whether the methods of struggle are different.

The virus is able to infect bacteria, since the latter have a cellular structure, and it uses any living cell for reproduction.

Ways of transmission of the virus:

• by airborne droplets;
• with dirty water, poorly cooked food;
• through unwashed hands;
• from mother to child in the womb;
• through injections, in violation of sterility;
• contact through the skin, mucous membranes.

The incubation period from the moment it enters the human body and until the first signs appear ranges from several hours to 3-7 days.

Bacteria is a complete living cellular microorganism consisting of one cell. They exist in any aggressive environment, on any object, in the ground, on the body, except perhaps in a hot volcano crater. Unlike viruses, they are able to multiply by division, without the participation of a foreign organism.

Not all microbes are harmful and dangerous to health, there are beneficial ones, for example, in the stomach, and they have a beneficial effect on the human immune system. Many have heard of bifidobacteria. Pharmacies sell bacteria that can be used to prepare fermented milk products that are useful for digestion.

Millions of necessary microorganisms live in the soil, in the process of vital activity positively affect the development of plants.

Methods of entry of bacteria

The routes of entry of bacteria into the human body are the same as those of viruses:

• by airborne droplets;
• with contaminated water, food;
• through wounds on the skin;
• by close contact between people (sexual intimacy, kissing);
• through surgical instruments used in violation of sterilization;
• through dirty hands.

After the penetration of bacteria into the human body, a period of reproduction and activation begins. This period is called the incubation period. For different types of microbes, it is different and lasts from several hours to a year or even more.

Bacteria and viruses are microorganisms that can cause various diseases in humans. First of all, they differ in the mechanism of division. As mentioned above, viruses cannot reproduce outside the body, but bacteria can.

The next difference is the size. The former are 200 to 1000 nanometers in size and can be seen under a microscope, while the largest can be seen with the naked eye. This is Thiomargarita namibiensis, its size is 750,000 nanometers (slightly less than a millimeter).

Viruses are much smaller than bacteria, only 20-400 nanometers in size, so they were discovered only after the invention of the electron microscope at the end of the 19th century.

Viruses and bacteria have different shapes. Bacteria are spherical (these are cocci), rod-shaped (bacilli), spiral (spirochetes) and vibrios.

The shape of a virus depends on the amount of nucleic acid and protein it is composed of. It happens spherical, stab (E. coli, Koch's bacillus) or spiral. Some viruses are complex.

The action of the virus and bacteria manifests itself in different ways. The first is characterized by an increase in body temperature, general weakness, muscle and joint pain (body aches). Bacteria manifest themselves as secretions of a characteristic property (purulent), plaque in the throat, on the tongue.

What does a bacterial infection mean and how toth get infected

If a person is healthy, his immune system works without failures, then the microbes located on the surface of the body or inside do not manifest themselves in any way. But as soon as the immune system weakens (for example, after a viral illness or after surgery), under favorable conditions for reproduction, a bacterial infection occurs. It can be extremely dangerous, so when the first symptoms appear, you should definitely contact a medical facility.

Diseases of bacterial origin that are dangerous for the patient and others: tuberculosis, plague, cholera, meningitis, pneumonia, etc. Only specialists can determine exactly what type of infection - viral or bacterial - threatens human health and prescribe the right treatment. After all, the methods of treatment of these two groups of diseases are different and what is effective for one is completely useless for the other.

Most often, a bacterial infection is treated with antibiotics, and drugs in this group do not work on the virus.

What are the signs of a viral and bacterial infection, how to distinguish them?

Bacterial and viral infection can be difficult to distinguish, because the symptoms and results of a diagnostic examination are often similar. There are a number of points:

1. Bacterial infection develops slowly and for a long time, and viral infection usually manifests itself quickly and is pronounced.
2. The virus usually affects the entire body at once (general weakness, malaise, aches throughout the body), and bacteria are localized in a particular focus (lungs, head, stomach, etc.).
3. A viral disease usually declines quickly - in 7-10 days, and a bacterial disease can last longer than a month.
4. The temperature during a bacterial infection is higher and usually it gradually rises, and during a viral infection, on the contrary, it slowly, but still decreases.
5. The color of the secreted mucus (if the disease is accompanied by one) can also be concluded, but still you should not rely on it completely. So, if the mucus is clear and the consistency is liquid, then it is a viral infection, and if the discharge is thick and greenish or yellow, then it is bacterial.
6. The most effective way to determine the origin of the disease is through a blood test. There are many blood indicators, but the main ones are the level of leukocytes and lymphocytes. Leukocytes are usually elevated in both infections, but with a bacterial infection, the neutrophil count is always increased (this is such a special type of leukocytes). With a viral form of infection, the level of lymphocytes is necessarily increased, and leukocytes and neutrophils are lowered. So with influenza, mumps, rubella, measles, leukocytes are always below normal.

Viral diseases include: SARS, herpes, measles, influenza, rubella, hepatitis, smallpox, encephalitis, HIV, etc.

Bacterial include: tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever, syphilis, gonorrhea, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, intestinal infections, etc.

What is the difference between drug and drug product?

How should viruses be treated, and how should a bacterial infection be treated?

After the doctor has accurately established the nature of the origin of the disease in the patient, it is necessary to examine the patient in more detail to determine the causative agent of the bacterial infection, since the appointment of treatment will depend on this. They are mainly treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, including the penicillin group or third-generation cephalosporins. Intestinal infections still require a strict diet.

For viral infections, the doctor prescribes antipyretics and painkillers, antihistamines, nasal drops, cough syrups and sore throats. The causative agent must be overcome by the immune system itself. In no case should you drink antibiotics, as you can only aggravate the situation by harming the kidneys, stomach, liver.

There are drugs that are called antiviral and antibacterial.

Is the flu a virus or a bacterium?

Influenza is an acute viral disease caused by pathogens of various strains. Every year a new type of pathogen appears. Therefore, microbiologists have to constantly develop new drugs for the treatment of influenza.

This is a very serious disease that affects the upper respiratory tract, which is dangerous for a person with complications and even leads to death if treatment is not started on time.

What is a viral-bacterial infection and what to do in this case

If, in the process of treating the virus, the patient already felt better, and he started to get better, and then suddenly he got worse again, this indicates that the microbes in the patient’s body under the influence of weakened immunity began their harmful effect. This is the so-called complication after a viral infection, that is, a viral-bacterial infection. It is urgent to start antibiotic treatment (usually doctors in this case prescribe medicine for viruses and bacteria at the same time - con sultation).

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one? See in this video:

More interesting articles.