how do you know if you have a virus or bacterial infection?
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The symptoms of a bacterial infection and a virus are often very similar—fever, muscle aches, cough, and sore throat—but they require different treatments.
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If your doctor believes you might have sepsis, he'll do an exam and run tests to look for the following: Bacteria in the blood or other body fluids. The source of the infection (he may use an X-ray, CT scan, or ultrasound) A high or low white blood cell count.
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Signs of a bacterial infection include: Feeling short of breath. A fever that doesn't go away. A cough that lingers more than 7 to 10 days after other symptoms have cleared, especially if it is bringing up mucus (productive).
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You may also experience symptoms like vomiting, severe abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. While viruses cause many gastrointestinal infections, bacterial infections are also common. Some people call this infection “food poisoning.” Bacterial gastroenteritis can result from poor hygiene.
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Signs and symptoms of a bacterial infection may vary depending on the location of the infection and the type of bacteria that's causing it. However, some general symptoms of a bacterial infection include: fever. feeling tired or fatigued.
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To diagnose bronchitis, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask about your medical history and symptoms. The doctor may also order a blood test to look for signs of infection or a chest X-ray to see if your lungs and bronchial tubes look normal and rule out pneumonia.
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['Redness or Swelling. Some amount of redness and swelling around the wound site is normal following a procedure. ... ', 'Fever. Fever is one of the classic symptoms of both viral and bacterial infections. ... ', 'Foul-Smelling Pus. ... ', 'Increased Pain. ... ', 'Hot Skin.']
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What's the difference between a viral and bacterial throat infection? A viral infection is the most common cause of a sore throat according to the NHS. If your sore throat is caused by a virus, antibiotics are unlikely to help.
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Common viral infections such as an upper respiratory infection can typically be detected by a runny nose, cough, low-grade fever, sore throat, and difficulty sleeping. No antibiotics or anti-viral medications can hasten recovery from the cold.
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Viruses “hijack” normal, living cells in your body. They use these cells to replicate and multiply, eventually destroying the host cell – this is what makes you sick. Unlike bacterial infections that respond to antibiotics, viral infections are not so easy to treat.
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Typical signs of a bacterial infection include white pus-filled spots on the tonsils, no cough and swollen or tender lymph glands. If you develop severe tonsillitis as a teenager or adult, your GP may recommend a blood test for glandular fever.
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Viruses are smaller than bacteria and can't survive without a living host. A virus attaches itself to cells and usually reprograms them to reproduce itself. Also, unlike bacteria, most viruses do cause disease. Some virus-caused diseases include the common cold, AIDS, herpes, and chickenpox.
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Knowing the difference can save you time and money during cold and flu season. The symptoms of a bacterial infection and a virus are often very similar—fever, muscle aches, cough, and sore throat—but they require different treatments.
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Viral meningitis is an infection caused by viruses and bacterial meningitis is an infection caused by bacteria. What is the difference between viral and bacterial meningitis? Viral meningitis is usually less serious and goes away without treatment.
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Diagnosis of Bacterial and Viral Infections But your doctor may be able to determine the cause by listening to your medical history and doing a physical exam. If necessary, he or she also can order a blood or urine test to help confirm a diagnosis, or a "culture test" of tissue to identify bacteria or viruses.
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Understanding infection vs. Infection, often the first step, occurs when bacteria, viruses or other microbes that cause disease enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease occurs when the cells in your body are damaged — as a result of the infection — and signs and symptoms of an illness appear.
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['Unexpected pop-up windows. Unexpected onscreen ads are a typical sign of a virus infection. ... ', 'Slow start up and slow performance. ... ', 'Suspicious hard drive activity. ... ', 'Lack of storage space. ... ', 'Missing files. ... ', 'Crashes and error messages. ... ', 'High network activity. ... ', 'Email is hijacked.']