Bacteria or viruses are the main causes for infections in the organism. They refer to pathogens and trigger this or that illness in a human body. While viruses are parasites and are harmful for the organism bacteria can not be characterized harmful entirely as some of them are actually useful. It is very important to be as much informed as possible about both in order to know how to treat infections.

Viruses represent microscopic organisms with a parasitic nature. They can be divided into 4 following types: helical, complex, enveloped and icosahedral. They stay inactive when they are in the air but with entering a host’s body become active and share a symbiotic relationship with its host. They trigger an illness in the organism of a host by such an intrusion.

Mucous membrane cells represent the most vulnerable cells in the organism and therefore they are attacked first. That is why colds and flu and some other infections are the most frequent. With entering a body virus hides behinds the cells and therefore makes it hard to be detected and fought. But the infection begins to spread then and an organism produces antibodies to fight it and kill.

Bacteria, in their turn, do not need a host to perform the task. They are asexual and are able to reproduce by themselves. The air is filled with different bacteria and not all of them are harmful. They are differentiated according to their form: bacilli, spirochaetes, cocci and vibrio. The organism is able to produce plenty of antibodies to fight the bacterial infection; frequently antibiotic help is required as well. As it has already been said, bacteria do not require a host, act on their own accord and therefore are able to be killed by antibiotics.

There are also other facts important to know about viral and bacterial infections. The former usually stay in the organism for 10 days when the latter can be present up to a fortnight before it is got rid of.

Viral infection symptoms are runny nose, dry cough, watery eyes, sore throat and constant joint pains. Bacterial infections are characterized by continuously high temperature, a persistent cough and a thick nose discharge.

It is also essential to keep in mind that most antibiotics are presupposed for bacteria elimination and are unable to kill viruses; the only thing they can do is to relieve the symptoms of a viral infection a bit.

Nowadays there are a lot of effective vaccinations against the most harmful bacteria and viruses. But it is also true that however hard you try the chances to avoid all the bacteria and infection are nonexistent as there are so many of these organisms. There are no certain preventive measures for any infection case but it is important to be informed about the difference between the two infections – viral and bacterial – in order to proceed with the proper treatment.