Which is contagious virus or bacteria

A bacterium is a single, but complex, cell. It can survive on its own, inside or outside the body. In fact, we have many bacteria on and inside our body, especially in the gut to help digest food. But some bacteria can cause infections. Bacterial infections can affect the throat, lungs, skin, bowel and many others parts of the body. Many are mild; some are severe.

Examples of bacterial infections include whooping cough , strep throat , ear infection and urinary tract infection UTI. The symptoms of a bacterial infection will depend on the location of the infection and the type of bacteria.

A bacterial infection occurs when bacteria enter the body, increase in number, and cause a reaction in the body. Bacteria can enter the body through an opening in your skin, such as a cut or a surgical wound, or through your airway and cause infections like bacterial pneumonia. For example, an untreated infected cut can cause cellulitis and a life-threatening condition called sepsis.

Sepsis is always a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the following:. Most bacterial infections can be effectively treated with antibiotics. They either kill bacteria or stop them multiplying. Antibiotics that work against a wide range of bacteria are called broad-spectrum antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem so antibiotics may be prescribed only for serious bacterial infections.

Bacterial infections can be highly contagious, so you need to take special care to avoid spreading infections by washing hands, covering up when sneezing and coughing, and not sharing cups and drink bottles. If you think you may have a bacterial infection, use healthdirect's online Symptom Checker. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Read the facts that bust some common misconceptions about antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance.

Imagine a future world where a case of tonsillitis could be life-threatening but there is nothing their doctor can do because antibiotics no longer work. Read more on Queensland Health website. What is the problem and how much of a problem is it? The year set the scene for one of the most significant public health milestones in history — the discovery of penicillin.

Read more on HealthEngine website. Antibiotics attack bacteria - germs responsible for certain infections. Babies and children younger than 5 years old are most at risk for Hib disease, but it can also affect adults with certain medical conditions. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus HIV.

Human papillomavirus HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US that can cause certain cancers and genital warts. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can result in severe, sometimes permanent, complications including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death. Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection that most often leads to severe swelling of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord meningitis or infection of the bloodstream.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus that spreads easily through coughing and sneezing. Noroviruses are a group of related viruses that are highly contagious. Pneumococcal disease is caused by common bacteria that can attack different parts of the body and is a leading cause of serious illness throughout the world. Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and is spread through contact with the stool feces of an infected person or droplets from a sneeze or cough.

Read more on Queensland Health website. Antibiotics attack bacteria - germs responsible for certain infections. Each antibiotic attacks different types of bacteria and will be useful for treating particular infections. Read more on myDr website.

Read more on Better Health Channel website. Fever often occurs with a viral infection or with a bacterial infection. Normal body temperature is about 37 degrees C when measured by mouth. Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the lining of the eye and eyelid caused by bacteria, viruses, chemicals or allergies. Read more on SA Health website. Regardless of whether tonsillitis is caused by a virus or bacteria, the symptoms may include sore throat, pain with swallowing, and fever etc.

Neutropenia is a blood condition characterised by low concentration of neutrophils. These are a type of white blood cell which fight infection. Read more on HealthEngine website. Read more on WA Health website. Read more on myDr — Consumer Medicine Information website. With the global COVID pandemic having a severe impact on all aspects of society and the health of people worldwide, it is now more important than ever to update your knowledge on the spread and containment of infectious diseases, and what you can do to help break the chain of infection.

Read more on Ausmed Education website. Strep throat, otherwise known as group A strep, is a bacterial infection of the throat and tonsils. The bacteria that causes strep throat is called group A streptococcus. It is most common among school-aged children and teenagers between 5 and Gum disease occurs when the gum gingiva - the mucosal tissue surrounding and protecting the teeth - becomes infected and inflamed.

Gum disease is usually caused by plaque, a sticky coating of bacteria that accumulates on the teeth along the gum line and causes irritation.