Top answers from doctors based on your search:
bacteria vs viruses
A 55-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Kwok answered
33 years experience Pediatrics
Yes, but...: Bacteria are living creatures, like the rest of us. Viruses are missing some parts so are not living unless they are inside another living creature. V ... Read More
Dr. Willam Lau answered
10 years experience Infectious Disease
No and yes: viruses are packaged DNA or RNA, not live, but must live in cells to infect and reproduce
bacteria are live, with all the mechanisms to live, infect a ... Read More
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A 54-year-old member asked:
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered
25 years experience Psychiatry
That depends: Some viruses are may cause no harm to humans, or minor infections like a cold and other may be lethal. The same holds true for bacteria.
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered
25 years experience Psychiatry
There are both: antiviral and antibacterial medications.
A 31-year-old male asked:
Dr. John Washburn answered
20 years experience Family Medicine
No added risk: As long as they are washing the towels properly there is no added risk for infection.
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A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Ferguson answered
46 years experience Pediatrics
Confusing question: Babies are born without any germs. If mom had the chickenpox during pregnancy, the kid may harbor that germ in its body but that is a rare exception. ... Read More
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jason Stokes answered
22 years experience Family Medicine
Different: Bacteria are small microbes. Infections from bacteria are treated with antibiotics. Viruses are smaller than bacteria and are not treated with antib ... Read More
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A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. Tony Ho answered
14 years experience Infectious Disease
Different things: Bacteria are small single-celled living things that grow on their own, and cause disease when they invade into the body. Viruses are small packets of ... Read More
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Stephen Scholand answered
23 years experience Infectious Disease
Causes of disease: There are many, many causes of infectious disease - bacteria and viruses, but also parasites, protozoa, fungi and infectious proteins. It's always goo ... Read More
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A 52-year-old member asked:
Dr. Robert Douglas answered
51 years experience Orthodontics
Because: Our bodies evolved in an environment of bacteria and viruses, they depend on the "normal flora" to function.
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered
25 years experience Psychiatry
Lab tests: can help to differentiate as it isn't always obvious from symptoms alone.
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