ONE virus is not a living organism and can only grow and reproduce within the host’s cells. Bacteriaon the contrary, are single-celled organisms that generate their own energy and can reproduce on their own. While both can cause disease, bacteria also serve other important and healthy roles in nature.
Systemic diseases caused by viral infections including influenza, measles, polio, AIDS and COVID-19
The two most common infectious agents are viruses and bacteria. Both of these pathogens are invisible to the naked eye, allowing them to surreptitiously pass from person to person during infectious disease outbreaks. Although they share a common bad reputation as pathogens, their properties beyond the harm they cause are quite different.
What is the difference between Virus and Bacteria?
Live or Not
Viruses are not living organisms, bacteria are. Viruses only grow and reproduce inside the host cell they infect. When found outside of these living cells, the virus is inactive. Their “life” therefore requires hijacking the biochemical activities of a living cell. Bacteria, on the other hand, are living organisms consisting of a single cell that can generate energy, make their own food, move, and reproduce (usually by binary fission). This allows bacteria to live in many places—soil, water, plants, and the human body—and serve many purposes. They serve many important roles in nature by decomposing organic matter (which may not matter to anyone who leaves leftovers in the back of the refrigerator) and by converting nitrogen, through nitrogen fixation into chemicals that plants can use. Bacteria even know how to work in groups through something called a quorum sensor.
Size
Bacteria are giants when compared to viruses. The smallest bacteria are about 0.4 microns (one millionth of a meter) in diameter while viruses range in size from 0.02 to 0.25 microns. This leaves most viruses in a microscopic state that cannot be seen with a conventional light microscope. They are usually studied using an electron microscope.
Mode of infection
Their mode of infection is different. Because of their distinct biochemical properties, it is not surprising that bacteria and viruses differ in how they cause infections. The virus infects a host cell and then multiplies thousands of times, leaving the host cell and infecting other cells of the body. Therefore, the viral infection will be systemic, spreading throughout the body. Systemic diseases caused by viral infections include influenza, measles, polio, AIDS, and COVID-19. Pathogenic bacteria have a more diverse mode of action and will usually infect when the right opportunity arises, so it is called an opportunistic infection. Infections caused by pathogenic bacteria, usually localized to one part of the body, are described as localized infections. These infections can be caused by the bacteria themselves or by the toxins (endotoxins) they produce. Examples of bacterial diseases include pneumonia, tuberculosis, tetanus, and food poisoning.
How do viruses interact with bacteria?
Viruses can infect bacteria. Bacteria that are not immune to viral invaders are called phages—viruses that infect bacteria. We don’t want to judge, but this could be one more reason to take a virus up a notch in the nasty germ hierarchy.
Image of Venngage Infographic Maker.
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Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
