Question:
What's the difference between a viral and bacterial infection in terms of symptoms?
sua428
19 years ago
What's the difference between a viral and bacterial infection in terms of symptoms?
Two answers:
sherasi
19 years ago
There are few symptoms that are different. For example, viral infections will spike sudden high fast temperatures but bacterial infections often have slower elevations of temperature but can also become very high also.



Viral infections have clear drainage when coughing or when having nasal drainage. Bacterial infections will have secretions from coughs and nose that are green, yellow, greenish-yellow, icky yellow-brown, etc.



Viral infections will resolve on their own in about 3 to 5 days. Some bacterial infections will linger for a long time and may need medical intervention with antibiotics. There are few viral infections that can be treated with medicine, they just have to be kicked by the bodies defences.



Here is a website that gives a lot of good information:



http://www.aware.md/Education/virusvsbacteria.asp
19 years ago
Sherasi is generally right, but it depends on what you're asking. Hepatitis B or C, or HIV are also viral infections, and these don't go away in a few days.


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