A 39-year-old member asked:
how can i tell if a disease is caused by a virus or bacteria?
1 doctor answer • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Lab tests: can help to differentiate as it isn't always obvious from symptoms alone.
3877 views
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Similar questions
A 28-year-old member asked:
Is acute pyelonephritis causd by a virus or a bacteria?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Tarek Naguib answered
Nephrology and Dialysis 40 years experience
Many bacteria types: Usually bacteria is the cause of pyelonephritis.
6218 views
A 38-year-old member asked:
What is the difference between bacteria, virus and germs?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Michael Ein answered
Infectious Disease 48 years experience
Alot.: Germ is a lay term to describe all types of microbial organisms. Bacteria are single celled organisms that exist almost everywhere in the environment, on our skin, in our mouths, in our intestines etc.
Viruses are sub-cellulat particles that contain a small piece of dna or rna
contained in a protein envelope. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and can even infect bacteria.Check a dictionary.
5576 views
A 29-year-old female asked:
What is a comparison of bacteria & virus?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Tony Ho answered
Infectious Disease 14 years experience
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 genetic information that can do nothing on their own, but hijack the cellular machinery of the body to produce more virus particles.
5202 views
A 34-year-old member asked:
Can a virus and bacteria get in a fight and wipe each other out?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Sophie Duriez answered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Star war in cell?: No. A virus will not get into a fight with a bacteria, to the opposite, it will welcome the bacteria to join the cell party of an infection, it is then called an over infection. If a nearby fungus is interested, it will also join the other bad guys. That's why we have an immune system, the body military cells (white blood cells) that patrols 24/24 2 protect us from viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.
5184 views
Dr. Ana Adelstein commented
Clinical Psychology 27 years experience
What a great description!
Apr 18, 2013
A 45-year-old member asked:
How can we find out if flu symptoms are due to a virus or bacteria?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. William Singer answered
Pediatric Neurology 51 years experience
Consult yoiur doctor: The flue is due to a virus. There is a rapid determination that can be done to identify "the flu" it is a combination of respiratory symptoms, fatigue and other constitutional symptoms and low grade fever.
Bacterial respiratory disorders - pneumonia are usually accompanied by a high fever and respiratory distress. The evaluation to determine etiology is not complicated and can quickly done.
5182 views
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Jul 21, 2014
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