Bacterial and viral infection: differences and characteristics. How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one? How to determine - a viral or bacterial infection? How to treat a virus with a bacterial infection

Children's illnesses often cause parents to panic. The most common runny nose can be very confusing if you do not understand what caused it and how to properly treat it. Even adults who have repeatedly had ARVI, colds and acute respiratory infections often do not understand how one condition differs from another, which approach will be optimal in which case.

In fact, a viral and bacterial infection has its own characteristic symptoms that allow, albeit not with 100% accuracy, to make a preliminary diagnosis. And if in the case of viruses, you can count on the immunity of the child, then with increased activity of pathogenic bacteria, potent agents cannot be dispensed with.

The main signs of a bacterial infection and features of the diagnosis

Bacteria are full-fledged microorganisms, consisting of one cell and at the same time able to exist independently. They are everywhere, including in the human body. When a number of factors coincide, these cells can begin to act against the organs and systems of the host, releasing toxins. The same happens in the case of a pathogenic pathogen entering conditions favorable for its vital activity.

In this case, characteristic symptoms appear that will help to make the correct diagnosis:

Bacteria infect certain parts and systems, so the symptoms appear locally. A general deterioration in the condition may occur against the background of an advanced bacterial infection.
The duration of the disease is from 5 to 14 days, if left untreated, the child's condition will only worsen. If you do not start taking antibiotics on time, there is a high risk of a secondary infection.
The temperature during the activity of pathogenic bacterial microflora is greatly increased. If it exceeds 38.3ºС, then there are consequences characteristic of intoxication (weakness, chills, muscle pain). When reaching 39ºС and more, infants may experience convulsions due to dehydration. Older children show increased irritability, may fall into unconsciousness.

If you carefully observe the condition of children (even those who do not yet speak), you can approximately determine the site of the lesion. For example, with inflammation in the ear, the baby will turn his head or press his ear to his shoulder.
To fight a bacterial infection, the body throws all the means from its arsenal. This leads to an increase and increased sensitivity of the lymph nodes. Normally, they are not palpable, and in the presence of the disease they become like peas. Often, the state of the lymph nodes can determine the location of the focus of infection.
In some cases, bacteria lead to the formation of an abscess (a cavity filled with pus), often even body secretions take the form of pus. For example, nasal mucus or sputum becomes yellowish or greenish in color.
There are many types of bacteria that affect certain systems, causing characteristic symptoms. Depending on the degree of damage, these manifestations can be only local or cause a general deterioration in the child's condition.

Diagnosis involves not only identifying symptoms, but also conducting mandatory tests that will help determine the type of pathogen. In some cases, this is what becomes the key to successful treatment of young children with minimal risks of complications and side effects.

Symptoms of viral infection and their characteristic features

A virus is a protein-coated non-cellular genetic material that is smaller than a bacterium. He needs a carrier for further life and in the course of activity he kills his owner, which is why the symptoms of infection appear. The activity of viruses is rarely limited to a certain area, signs of pathology begin to appear throughout the body. The course of the process in children and adults differs only in the severity of manifestations.

Experts identify the following symptoms characteristic of a viral infection:

An acute course is typical for the first days of the disease. After about three days, the signs of infection in the child's body begin to decline. Within 4-10 days, they completely disappear, subject to strong immunity and proper treatment. There are also exceptions here, for example, viral sinusitis can last up to a month.
In children suffering from the ingestion of the virus, there is an increase in temperature in the range of 37-38ºС. This is enough to stop the production of enzymes necessary to maintain the vital activity of microorganisms of a viral nature. Against this background, there is a chill, a decrease in appetite, complaints of pain throughout the body will begin to come from an older child.
Often, children begin to have a severe headache, because of which the baby will constantly cry and act up, and the adult baby will try to strain his eyes less (read, watch TV).
Runny nose and cough are traditional symptoms of an acute viral infection. The second phenomenon is often a consequence of the first. The mucus that clogs the nasal passages flows down the wall of the nasopharynx and irritates the mucous membrane, provoking a cough. There can be a lot of mucus and sputum, because the action of these substances is aimed at washing out harmful microorganisms.

Tip: If your child has a cough for several weeks after recovery, do not panic. A very sensitive mucous throat recovers longer than other systems and organs. At the same time, it is forbidden to stuff children with antibiotics, you can limit yourself to rinsing, which will reduce the degree of tissue irritability.

Particular attention should be paid to sputum. As a result of the activity of a viral infection, it will be transparent and fluid.
Inflammation of the mucous membrane leads to damage to the throat. It is painful for the baby to swallow, and the mucous membranes acquire a characteristic bright red tint when they are examined.
Even a very active child has increased fatigue on such days. He is not interested in anything, behaves apathetically, constantly wants to sleep.
In moments of wakefulness, it seems that the baby is trying to find a more comfortable position for the body. This is due to aching muscles, and sometimes joints.
The course of some viral infections is accompanied by a rash, most often this is observed in children.
Another feature of the infection provoked by the activity of the virus is a violation of the work of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, rotavirus and adenovirus affect young patients, which is accompanied by diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

If the deterioration of the child's condition is accompanied by these symptoms, then the treatment should be symptomatic. Manipulations aimed at the general strengthening of the forces of the child's body will not be superfluous.

Principles of treatment of diseases caused by bacteria

Only a specialist can handle the treatment of a bacterial infection. If there are suspicions of the development of such a specific condition, you should immediately visit a doctor or call an ambulance. After conducting the appropriate tests or according to the combination of signs, the baby will be prescribed the following treatment:

Mandatory antibiotics. These can be drugs aimed at neutralizing the activity of organisms of a bacterial nature, local or general action.
Symptomatic treatment that alleviates the condition of the child.
The use of folk remedies that help strengthen the body (only with the permission of a doctor).
The use of components that restore the activity of beneficial microflora.

Immediately after the start of antibiotics, the infectiousness of the baby is reduced to a minimum. But this does not mean that they are allowed to be used as a prevention of complications or the spread of the disease among households. If you start taking funds aimed at inhibiting the development of a bacterial infection too early, you can negatively affect the beneficial microflora, thereby accelerating the development of pathology.

Rules for conducting antiviral therapy

In this case, the approach is radically different. The symptoms of a viral infection go away on their own over time. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the signs of the condition that cause discomfort to the child. All actions boil down to the following:

Antiviral drugs relieve headache and muscle pain, alleviate the general condition, and help reduce temperature.
Viruses and fever, even moderate degrees, lead to dehydration of tissues, so the fluid supply must be constantly replenished.
The child needs to sleep more, you can’t overstrain (otherwise the recovery process will be delayed).
You should not try to immediately bring down the baby's temperature, with its help the body tries to cope with the problem on its own, you can not interfere with it.
It is highly not recommended to give Fervex, Coldrex or their analogues to children. They will only lubricate the symptoms without giving the desired effect. It is better to just pick up a vitaminized drink for the baby.

It is worth considering that vaccinations can only help prevent viral diseases, and not all of them. You can protect yourself from the activity of bacteria only with the help of the formation of strong immunity in the baby and its protection from the action of negative factors. Bacterial infections are highly contagious, so if you suspect a condition in one of your relatives or friends, you need to limit their contact with young children.

Summary: Advice from a pediatrician. Colds in children treatment. Colds in children how to treat. Colds in children under one year old. The child was ill with SARS. The child has the flu. Viral infection in children treatment. Viral infection in children symptoms. Viral infection than to treat. Bacterial infection in children. Bacterial infection symptoms. Bacterial throat infection.

Attention! This article is for informational purposes only. Be sure to consult your doctor.

If a child has an acute respiratory infection (ARI), then the question of whether the disease is caused by viruses or bacteria is fundamental. The fact is that pediatricians of the so-called "old school", that is, those who graduated from the institute in the 1970-1980s, prefer to prescribe antibiotics for any rise in temperature. The motive for such appointments - "whatever happens" - does not hold water. On the one side, viruses that cause most acute respiratory infections are completely indifferent to antibiotics , with another - in some viral infections, the prescription of antibiotics can lead to serious complications , next to which the traditional complications of antibiotic therapy - intestinal dysbacteriosis and drug allergies - will seem like a task for the first grade of high school.

There is only one way out of this situation, which is very effective, although rather laborious - to assess both the condition of the child and the appointment of the attending physician. Yes, of course, even the district pediatrician, whom it is customary only to scold, is armed with a university diploma, not to mention the head of the department of pediatrics in the same district clinic, and even more so about the candidate of science, to whom you take your child every six months for an appointment or cancellation of preventive vaccinations. However, none of these doctors, unlike you, has the physical ability to watch your child on a daily and hourly basis.

Meanwhile, the data of such an observation in the medical language is called an anamnesis, and it is on them that doctors build the so-called primary diagnosis. Everything else - examination, analyzes and X-ray studies - serves only to clarify the actual diagnosis already made. So not learning to really assess the condition of your own child, whom you see every day, is simply not good.

Let's try - we will definitely succeed.

In order to distinguish ARI caused by viruses from the same ARI, but caused by bacteria, you and I need only minimal knowledge of how these diseases proceed. Data on how often a child has been sick lately per year, who and what is sick in the children's team, and, perhaps, how your child behaved in the last five to seven days before getting sick, will also be very useful. It's all.

Respiratory viral infections (ARVI)

There are not so many respiratory viral infections in nature - these are the well-known influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus infection, respiratory syncytial infection and rhinovirus. Of course, in thick medical manuals it is recommended to do very expensive and lengthy tests to distinguish one infection from another, but each of them has its own "calling card" by which it can be recognized already at the patient's bedside. However, you and I do not need such deep knowledge - it is much more important to learn to distinguish the listed diseases from bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract. All this is necessary so that your local doctor does not prescribe antibiotics for no reason or, God forbid, does not forget to prescribe them - if antibiotics are really needed.

Incubation period

All respiratory viral infections (hereinafter - ARVI) have a very short incubation period - from 1 to 5 days. It is believed that this is the time during which the virus, having entered the body, is able to multiply to the amount that is already manifested by cough, runny nose and fever. Therefore, if the child does get sick, you need to remember when he last visited, for example, a children's team and how many children looked sick there. If less than five days have passed from such a moment to the onset of the disease, this is an argument in favor of the viral nature of the disease. However, just one argument will not be enough for us.

Prodrome

After the end of the incubation period, the so-called prodrome begins - the period when the virus has already unfolded in all its might, and the child's body, in particular its immune system, has not yet begun to adequately respond to the adversary.

It is possible to suspect something was wrong already during this period: the child's behavior changes dramatically. He (she) becomes capricious, capricious more than usual, lethargic or, conversely, unusually active, a characteristic glint appears in the eyes. Children may complain of thirst: this is a viral rhinitis, and the discharge, while it is not much, flows not through the nostrils, but into the nasopharynx, irritating the mucous membrane of the throat. If the child is less than a year old, sleep changes first of all: the child either sleeps for an unusually long time, or does not sleep at all.

What to do : It is during the prodromal period that all the antiviral drugs familiar to us are most effective - from homeopathic oscillococcinum and EDAS to rimantadine (effective only during an influenza epidemic) and viferon. Since all of the listed drugs either do not have side effects at all, or these effects are minimal (as with rimantadine), they can be started already during this period. If the child is older than two years old, SARS may end without even starting, and you can get off with a slight fright.

What NOT to do : You should not start treatment with antipyretics (for example, with efferalgan) or with advertised cold drugs such as coldrex or fervex, which are essentially just a mixture of the same efferalgan (paracetamol) with antiallergic drugs, flavored with a small amount of vitamin C. Such a cocktail is not only will blur the picture of the disease (let's still hope for the competence of the doctor), but it will also prevent the child's body from responding qualitatively to a viral infection.

The onset of the disease

As a rule, ARVI begins sharply and brightly: body temperature jumps to 38-39 ° C, chills, headache, sometimes sore throat, cough and runny nose appear. However, these symptoms may not be present - the onset of a rare viral infection is marked by local symptoms. If, however, things still come to such a rise in temperature, you should tune in to the fact that the disease will drag on for 5-7 days and still call a doctor. It is from this moment that you can start the traditional (paracetamol, heavy drinking, suprastin) treatment. But now you should not expect a quick result from antiviral drugs: from now on, they are only able to contain the virus.

It is very important to remember that after 3-5 days, an already almost recovered child can suddenly worsen again, as doctors say. Viruses are also dangerous because they are able to drag a bacterial infection along with them - with all the ensuing consequences.

Important! A virus that infects the upper respiratory tract always causes an allergic reaction, even if the child is not allergic. Moreover, at a high temperature, a child may have allergic reactions (in the form, for example, of hives) to the usual food or drink. That is why with ARVI it is very important to have antiallergic drugs on hand (suprastin, tavegil, claritin or zirtek). By the way, rhinitis, which is manifested by nasal congestion and watery discharge, and conjunctivitis (shiny or reddened eyes in a sick child) are characteristic symptoms of a viral infection. With bacterial damage to the respiratory tract, both are extremely rare.

Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract

The choice of bacteria that cause infectious lesions of the upper (and lower - that is, bronchi and lungs) respiratory tract is somewhat richer than the choice of viruses. Here are corinbacteria, and Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella. And there are also pertussis pathogens, meningococcus, pneumococci, chlamydia (not those that venereologists recklessly deal with, but transmitted by airborne droplets), mycoplasmas and streptococci. I’ll make a reservation right away: the clinical manifestations of the vital activity of all these unpleasant microorganisms require doctors to immediately prescribe antibiotics - without antibiotic therapy started on time, the consequences of bacterial damage to the respiratory tract can be completely catastrophic. So much so that it is better not to even mention it. The main thing is to understand in time that antibiotics are really needed.

By the way, the company of dangerous or simply unpleasant bacteria that love to settle in the respiratory tract does not include Staphylococcus aureus. Yes, yes, the very one that is so recklessly sown from the upper respiratory tract, and then poisoned with antibiotics by some especially advanced doctors. Staphylococcus aureus is a normal inhabitant of our skin with you; in the respiratory tract he is an accidental guest, and believe me that even without antibiotics he is very uncomfortable there. However, let's get back to bacterial infections.

Incubation period

The main difference between a bacterial respiratory tract infection and a viral one is a longer incubation period - from 2 to 14 days. True, in the case of a bacterial infection, it will be necessary to take into account not only and not so much the estimated time of contact with patients (remember how it was in the case of SARS?), but also the overwork of the child, stress, hypothermia, and finally, the moments when the baby uncontrollably ate snow or wet your feet. The fact is that some microorganisms (meningococci, pneumococci, moraxella, chlamydia, streptococci) are able to live in the respiratory tract for years without showing themselves. The very stresses and hypothermia, and even a viral infection, can cause them to an active life.

By the way, it is useless to take smears on the flora from the respiratory tract in order to take action in advance. On standard media, which are most often used in laboratories, meningococci, streptococci and the already mentioned Staphylococcus aureus can grow. It grows the fastest of all, clogging, like a weed, the growth of microbes that are really worth looking for. By the way, the “track record” of chlamydia that is not sown in any way includes a quarter of all chronic tonsillitis, interstitial (very poorly diagnosed) pneumonia, and, in addition, reactive arthritis (because of them, in combination with chlamydial tonsillitis, a child can easily lose tonsils).

Prodrome

Most often, bacterial infections do not have a visible prodromal period - the infection begins as a complication of acute respiratory viral infections (otitis media caused by Haemophilus influenzae or pneumococci; sinusitis, originating from the same pneumococci or moraxella). And if ARVI begins as a general deterioration in the state without any local manifestations (they appear later and not always), then bacterial infections always have a clear "application point".

Unfortunately, it is not only acute otitis media or sinusitis (sinusitis or ethmoiditis), which are relatively easy to cure. Streptococcal tonsillitis is far from harmless, although even without any treatment (except for soda rinses and hot milk, which no caring mother will fail to use), she disappears in 5 days. The fact is that streptococcal tonsillitis is caused by the same beta-hemolytic streptococcus, which includes the already mentioned chronic tonsillitis, but, unfortunately, they can lead to rheumatism and acquired heart defects. (By the way, tonsillitis is also caused by chlamydia and viruses, such as adenovirus or Epstein-Barr virus. True, neither of them, unlike streptococcus, ever lead to rheumatism. But we'll talk about this a little later.) after recovering from a sore throat, it does not disappear anywhere - it settles on the tonsils and behaves quite decently for quite a long time.

Streptococcal tonsillitis has the shortest incubation period among bacterial infections - 3-5 days. If there is no cough or runny nose with angina, if the child retains a sonorous voice and there is no redness of the eyes, this is almost certainly streptococcal angina. In this case, if the doctor recommends antibiotics, it is better to agree - leaving beta-hemolytic streptococcus in the child's body may turn out to be more expensive. Moreover, when it first enters the body, streptococcus is not yet hardened in the struggle for its own survival, and any contact with antibiotics is fatal for it. American doctors, who cannot take a step without various tests, found that already on the second day of taking antibiotics for streptococcal tonsillitis, the vicious streptococcus completely disappears from the body - at least until the next meeting.

In addition to streptococcal tonsillitis, complications from which will either come or not, there are other infections, the results of which appear much faster and can lead to much more nasty consequences.

The microbe that causes seemingly harmless nasopharyngitis is absolutely not accidentally called meningococcus - under favorable circumstances, meningococcus can cause purulent meningitis and sepsis of its own name. By the way, the second most common causative agent of purulent meningitis is also, at first glance, a harmless Haemophilus influenzae; however, most often it is manifested by the same otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis. Very similar to bronchitis and pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae (usually occurring as complications of SARS), pneumococcus can also cause. The same pneumococcus causes sinusitis and otitis media. And since both Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcus are sensitive to the same antibiotics, doctors don’t really understand who exactly is in front of them. In one and the other case, you can get rid of a restless adversary with the help of the most common penicillin - long before pneumococcus causes serious problems in the form of pneumonia or meningitis to a small patient.

Rounding out the hit parade of bacterial infections of the respiratory tract are chlamydia and mycoplasma - the smallest microorganisms that, like viruses, can only live inside the cells of their victims. These microbes are not capable of causing either otitis media or sinusitis. The calling card of these infections is the so-called interstitial pneumonia in older children. Unfortunately, interstitial pneumonia differs from the usual one only in that it cannot be detected either by listening or by percussion of the lungs - only on x-rays. Because of this, doctors make the diagnosis of such pneumonia rather late - and, by the way, interstitial pneumonia proceeds no better than any other. Fortunately, mycoplasmas and chlamydia are very sensitive to erythromycin and similar antibiotics, so the pneumonia they cause (if diagnosed) responds very well to treatment.

Important! If your local pediatrician is not very competent, it is important to suspect interstitial chlamydial or mycoplasmal pneumonia before him - if only to hint to the doctor that you do not mind getting a lung x-ray.

The main symptom of chlamydial and mycoplasmal infections is the age of the children who are sick with them. Interstitial chlamydial and mycoplasmal pneumonias most often affect schoolchildren; the disease of a young child is a rarity.

Other signs of interstitial pneumonia are a prolonged cough (sometimes with sputum) and pronounced complaints of intoxication and shortness of breath with, as medical textbooks put it, "very poor physical examination data." Translated into normal Russian, this means that despite all your complaints, the doctor sees and hears no problems.

Data on the onset of the disease can help a little - with a chlamydial infection, everything starts with a rise in temperature, which is accompanied by nausea and headache. With a mycoplasmal infection, there may not be a temperature at all, but that same prolonged cough is accompanied by sputum. I did not find any intelligible symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia in any Russian manual on pediatrics; but in the manual "Pediatrics according to Rudolph", which has survived in the USA, by the way, the 21st edition, it is recommended that against the background of deep breathing, press the child on the sternum (in the middle of the chest). If this provokes a cough, then most likely you are dealing with interstitial pneumonia.

Quite possible. This does not require special knowledge. One has only to listen to the advice of pediatricians and carefully observe the patient's condition. Which, in turn, will serve as a good help in the correct diagnosis and choice of treatment tactics.

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one? Komarovsky gives advice

Renowned pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky argues that it is very important for parents to understand the basic differences between viruses and bacteria. To do this, you need to understand how viruses work.

Their fundamental feature is that they are unable to reproduce without other cells. Viruses invade the cell and force it to make copies of them. Thus, in each infected cell there are several thousand of them. And the cell most often dies or becomes unable to perform its functions, which causes certain symptoms of the disease in a person.

Viruses are selective in their choice of cells

By the way, another feature of viruses can tell you how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one. Komarovsky in his works claims that these microorganisms are very selective in choosing a cell suitable for reproduction. And they capture only the one that they can then force to work for themselves. For example, the hepatitis virus can multiply only in the cells of the liver, and prefers the cells of the mucous membranes of the bronchi or trachea.

In addition, it can cause certain diseases only in certain species. For example, precisely because the variola virus could only exist in the human body, it completely disappeared from nature after the introduction of mandatory vaccinations, which were carried out throughout the world for 22 years.

What determines the severity of a viral infection

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one can also be understood by the peculiarities of the course of a viral infection. They depend on which cells and in what quantity were affected by it. It is clear that the penetration, for example, with encephalitis, of viruses into brain cells is a much more dangerous condition than their damage to the nasal mucosa during influenza.

The course of the disease is also affected by the fact that human cells change in a certain way during life. So, due to the fact that in babies the main liver cells (hepatocytes) have not yet been formed, it is difficult for viruses to develop in them, and therefore babies up to a year practically do not get hepatitis A. In older children, this disease is quite easy, but in adults, hepatitis - serious disease. The same applies to viruses that cause rubella, measles and chickenpox.

By the way, in some cases, the virus, having penetrated into the cell, does not develop in it, but subsides, being there in a “sleeping” state, ready, at the opportunity, to put us in front of the question of how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one in adults and children.

SARS: signs of these diseases

In our reasoning, we should not miss the fact that ARVI includes not one disease, but a whole group of ailments, which are based on infection with a large number of various viruses.

In order to distinguish one virus from another, tests are required. But they are carried out if necessary by doctors, and for parents it will be enough to remember how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one.

The most characteristic sign of SARS is a stormy onset. If the upper respiratory tract is affected, then you can observe:

a strong rise in temperature, up to 40 ° C (it all depends on the pathogen);
acute rhinitis - transparent mucus is abundantly secreted from the nose, which is often accompanied by lacrimation;
soreness and pain appear in the throat, the voice becomes hoarse, a dry cough occurs;
the patient feels symptoms of general intoxication: muscle aches, weakness, chills, headache and lack of appetite.

How Evgeny Komarovsky describes bacterial infections

Explaining how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one in a child, Komarovsky also talks separately about the characteristics of bacteria.

Bacteria are microorganisms that, unlike viruses, can develop on their own. For them, the main thing is to find a suitable place for food and reproduction, and this causes diseases in the human body.

Many drugs (antibiotics) have been invented to fight bacteria. But these microorganisms have another unique feature - they mutate, adapting to new conditions and making it difficult to get rid of them.

Bacteria most often do not require a specific habitat, like viruses. Staphylococcus, for example, can exist anywhere, causing inflammatory processes in the lungs, and on the skin, and in the bones, and in the intestines.

Why are bacteria dangerous to the human body?

And, of course, the main thing in the question of how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one is to determine the harm that certain microorganisms can cause.

If we talk about bacteria, then it itself, as a rule, does not cause much damage to our body. The greatest danger is fraught with the products of its vital activity - toxins, which are nothing more than poisons. It is their specific effect on our body that explains the symptoms of each specific disease.

The human body reacts to both the bacterium and its toxins in the same way as it does to viruses, producing antibodies.

By the way, in most bacteria, toxins are produced in the process of their death. And they are called endotoxins. And in a small number of bacteria, toxins are released in the process of life (exotoxins). They are considered the most dangerous poisons known. Under their influence, diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, gas gangrene, botulism and

What do the symptoms of a respiratory disease caused by bacteria look like?

By knowing how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one, you will not miss the beginning of a new wave of the disease.

A bacterial infection quite often joins an existing viral infection, since the latter has time to greatly weaken the patient's immunity. That is, otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis or other diseases join the already existing symptoms of SARS.

The onset of bacterial infection is usually not pronounced (the temperature rises slightly and gradually, the general condition changes imperceptibly), but the course may be more severe. And if a viral infection is expressed by a general malaise, then a bacterial one, as a rule, has a clear dislocation. That is, you can always understand what exactly struck the bacteria - the nose (sinusitis), ear (acute, otitis media or purulent) or throat (bacterial tonsillitis).

A thick purulent discharge appears from the nose. The cough is often wet, and the sputum is difficult to come off.
Plaque forms on the tonsils. There are signs of bronchitis.

Unfortunately, bacteria, as you have already seen, can cause more serious problems - bronchitis, pneumonia, or even meningitis. Therefore, the fight against them with the help of antibiotics is essential in order to prevent the severe development of the disease. But remember, only a doctor prescribes these drugs!

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one by a blood test

Of course, the main difference between bacterial and viral infections will be in the results of blood tests.

So, in the presence of viruses, the number of leukocytes does not increase, and sometimes it is even slightly below normal. can change only due to an increase in the number of monocytes and lymphocytes, as well as a decrease in the number of neutrophils. In this case, the ESR may increase slightly, although in cases with a severe course of SARS, it may turn out to be high.

Bacterial infections usually cause an increase in the number of leukocytes, which is provoked by an increase in the number of neutrophils. The percentage of lymphocytes decreases, but the number of young forms - myelocytes - also increases. ESR is usually quite high.

The main signs by which one can distinguish between viral and bacterial infections

So, let's summarize how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one in children and adults. Common signs of all viral infections can be summarized in the following list:

from the moment of infection to the first manifestations of the disease, one to three days pass;
for another day or three, the symptoms of intoxication and allergy to viruses last;
and the disease itself begins with a high temperature, and its first signs are rhinitis, pharyngitis and conjunctivitis.

Bacteria, unlike viruses, develop more slowly. Very often, a bacterial infection is superimposed on an already existing viral disease. The main sign of a bacterial infection is a clearly defined place of its “application”. And now once again we list the signs of a bacterial infection:

slow onset, often manifesting as a second wave of viral infection;
a long (up to 2 weeks) period from the onset of infection to the first manifestations of the disease;
not very high temperature and a clear severity of the lesion.

Don't hesitate to consult a doctor!

Knowing how to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one in a child by a blood test and by general signs, still do not try to draw conclusions and prescribe treatment on your own.

And in the following situations, emergency specialist help is essential:

the patient's temperature rises to 40 ° C and above and, moreover, is poorly controlled by antipyretics;
consciousness becomes confused, or fainting appears;
a rash or small hemorrhages appear on the body;
in the chest, pain is recorded during breathing, as well as its difficulty (a particularly serious sign is the release of pink sputum when coughing);
green or brown discharge appears from the respiratory tract, having blood impurities;
there are chest pains that do not depend on breathing.

Do not hesitate to contact the doctor, and the patient's health will be restored!

The appearance of most diseases is facilitated by the entry into the body of various viruses and bacteria. Since these two causes are very similar in symptoms, it is still important to correctly determine what exactly contributed to the infection of the body.

This is important, since the treatment of viral and bacterial diseases is completely different. You can get rid of bacteria by taking and following all the doctor's prescriptions.

Bacteria are microorganisms that look like a cell.

That is, they include a poorly expressed nucleus, in which there are organelles covered with a membrane. If you drop a special solution on a bacterium, you can see it with a light microscope.

Bacteria are abundant in the environment, but only a few are harmful to health. Many bacteria also live in, while not causing him any inconvenience. And some species, when ingested, provoke the development of serious diseases.

Symptoms of diseases can be different, since everything depends on the structure of the bacteria. This suggests that living microbes emit various toxic substances that get into the bloodstream lead to poisoning of the whole organism. The result of this action is a violation of the immune system.

In children, opportunistic pathogens are most common, which enter the body through the respiratory system. It is also worth separately designating those that fell into an intermediate position. They have a cellular structure, and therefore, when they enter the human body, they destroy cells from the inside.

How does a bacterial infection manifest itself?

The appearance of bacteria in the body causes vomiting and nausea.

The appearance and course of the disease is divided into several stages, which have their own symptoms:

incubation period. In this case, the bacteria multiply rapidly and remain in the human body for a while. During this period, the symptoms do not make themselves felt. Often this period of time can be only a few hours, or maybe 3 weeks.
prodromal period. At this stage, general symptoms of the disease are observed, which manifest themselves as weakness, unwillingness to eat.
The outbreak of illness. When there is an exacerbation of the disease, the symptoms are pronounced. In this case, it is necessary to begin treatment, after which the person will recover. Since bacteria are different, the manifestations of diseases are also different. The location of bacteria can be the whole body or a separate organ. If the microbe enters the human body, then it may not immediately manifest the disease. The disease process is usually not expressed.

For a long period, a person may not suspect that he is infected. In this case, the bacteria will be at rest without making themselves felt. To become the cause of their sharp activation in the body can be the influence of various factors, such as hypothermia, stress, the ingress of other bacteria into the body.

At an early age, the appearance of bacteria in the body is accompanied by:

High temperature, which borders on the mark of 39 degrees
, there is vomiting
severe poisoning of the body
severe headache
plaque appears on the tonsils
the body pours out

Often, bacterial infections harm the female body, as they contribute to the development of pathologies of the genitourinary system. Women have the following diseases:

trichomoniasis
yeast infection
gardnerellosis

When there is a change in the vaginal microflora, the appearance of vaginitis occurs. The consequence of this disease is the intake of strong drugs, the use of the douching procedure, infection with the disease during sexual intercourse. Bacterial infections in women are manifested as follows:

Discharges are observed
Itching appears
It hurts to go to the toilet
Discomfort during intercourse
If a woman develops trichomoniasis, then there are discharges that are yellow-green or gray in color.

Methods for detecting a disease

A blood test will help identify bacteria in the human body.

The surest option for detecting infections in childhood is the delivery of a bacteriological analysis.

To conduct a study, a material is taken from a child, in which such bacteria should be present. When there is a possibility of damage to the respiratory tract, it is necessary to pass sputum.

The material taken must be in a certain environment, after which it will be examined. With the help of this study, it becomes possible to determine whether there are bacteria in the body, and how the body can be cured.

An infected person needs a general one, as this is the most productive way to determine the disease. In the presence of an infection in the human body, the structure of the blood will change, the level of leukocytes will increase, since there will be an increase in the number of neutrophils.

Often, when a person is infected, the number of stab neutrophils increases, and there may be an increase in metamyelocytes and myelocytes. This is the result of a decrease in the number of white blood cells, while the ESR is very high.

Treatment

Tetracycline is a drug used to treat bacterial infections.

When the process of detecting a disease in children occurs, treatment should be started with antibacterial drugs.

They will help slow down the development of the disease, and subsequently completely cure. When such bacteria enter the body, it is necessary to be treated according to the direction of a doctor. Any self-medication can only worsen the condition.

It is quite difficult to cure such a disease, since many microorganisms will oppose treatment. Bacteria are well adapted to their environment, and therefore it is necessary to constantly create new drugs to cure. Their mutation leads to the fact that antibiotics do not have the desired effect.

Also, the appearance of one disease can be triggered not by one type of bacteria, but by several, which complicates the treatment procedure. Often, in order to recover from this type of disease, it is necessary to use a set of measures:

You can eliminate the cause of the onset of the disease using bactericidal, as well as bacteriostatic antibacterial drugs.
Remove from the body all the harmful substances that have accumulated during the illness. It is also necessary to heal the organs that have taken the hit.
Implementation of treatment measures that will help improve the patient's condition.
When the respiratory organs are affected, it is necessary to take cough medicines, and in case of diseases in the gynecological area, local antibiotics are needed.

If this type of bacteria has settled in the body, then it is necessary to take antibiotics, which can be in, intramuscular injections are also possible. To prevent the development of bacteria in the body, you can take:

Chloramphenicol

To prevent the development of negative fauna will help:

Penicillin
Rifamycin
Aminoglycosides

If we take into account penicillins, then the drugs that are of the highest quality are:

Amoxicillin
Amoxicar
Augmentin
Amoxiclav

At the moment, using various drugs in the fight against bacteria, you can be cured of many diseases. It must be taken into account that only a doctor can prescribe the right medicine, given that bacteria are constantly adapting.

Drinking antibiotics is at an early stage of the development of the disease, as this will prevent further spread of the infection throughout the body. It is they who can heal a person.

If you constantly use antibacterial drugs, then irreversible processes will begin to occur in the body. It may also appear on the components contained in these medicinal devices.

All these nuances should be taken into account when medications are prescribed. To prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the body, you must follow some rules. These include - maintaining hygiene, not being in places where there are a lot of people, strengthening the immune system, and taking preventive measures for the health of your body.

You will learn about the disease trichomoniasis from the video:

Tell your friends! Share this article with your friends on your favorite social network using the social buttons. Thanks!

If a child gets sick, it is very important to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one in time, because they require a different approach to treatment and mistakes in therapy can be expensive. The final diagnosis, of course, remains with the doctor, but parents must have at least basic knowledge in order to be able to provide the child with first aid in time. How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one, we will tell in this material.

Main differences

The main difference between a viral illness and a bacterial one lies in the causative agent of the disease itself. Viral diseases are caused by viruses, bacterial diseases are caused by bacteria. With regard to childhood diseases, especially during the cold season, the most common are viral illnesses - influenza, SARS. The well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky claims that 95% of all cases of childhood morbidity with respiratory and general manifestations (runny nose, cough, fever) are exclusively of viral origin.

Viruses cannot exist anywhere and anyhow, they are quite capricious in choosing a location. Usually, each of the viral infections has its own localization, its own place of replication of the pathogen virus. With influenza, the corresponding virus at the first stage affects only the cells of the ciliated epithelium of the upper respiratory tract, with hepatitis - only liver cells, with rotavirus infection, the pathogen is activated exclusively in the small intestine.
Bacteria are less whimsical. They begin to multiply where there is already a lesion. When cut, the wound begins to fester, when bacteria enter the larynx, if the integrity of the mucous membranes is broken, severe purulent inflammation of the pharynx and larynx begins, for example, with bacterial tonsillitis. The bacterium can spread throughout the body, "settling" where local immunity is reduced.

Knowing the difference and being able to distinguish one from the other is necessary in order to properly approach the care and treatment of a child. Viral diseases should never, under any circumstances, be treated with antibiotics. Antibacterial drugs are not effective against viruses and only increase the likelihood of severe complications.

To treat a viral infection, there are drugs - antiviral, immunostimulating. And with a bacterial infection, it is impossible to do without antibiotics.

Symptom difference

In order to understand how a viral illness differs from a bacterial one, parents need to carefully observe their child. The difference is noticeable from the very beginning.

Most viral diseases have an acute onset.- the baby's temperature rises to high levels (38.0-40.0 degrees), he suddenly becomes ill. With influenza, the nose usually remains dry, with other SARS, one of the first signs is liquid nasal mucus. This condition is said to be “running from the nose”.

Bacterial runny nose (rhinitis) differs in color, texture and smell. Snot with such a runny nose have a thick consistency, green or dark yellow color, sometimes with blood streaks, an unpleasant smell of pus. The onset of a bacterial disease is not sharp and sharp. Usually the temperature does not rise immediately, but gradually, however, it can gradually reach high values, but more often it is subfebrile for a long time, and the state of health also gradually worsens.
With a viral infection, the general condition is disturbed literally from the first hours of the disease. There are signs of intoxication, muscle and joint pain, severe headache, sometimes nausea and vomiting against the background of high temperature. With a bacterial disease, the discomfort zone is usually localized quite clearly. If the bacteria hit the throat - there is a sore throat, if it gets into the eyes - conjunctivitis, if the lungs - pneumonia. The bacteria can cause meningitis, severe bronchitis.
The incubation period is also different.. Viral infections develop in the body after infection in a few hours or a couple of days, and bacteria need about 10 days or two weeks to “settle in”, multiply in sufficient numbers and begin to release a large amount of toxins.

Almost any viral "sore" passes on its own in 3-6 days in the absence of complications.. With bacterial ailments, you will have to “tinker”, without a course (or even several courses) of antibiotics, you usually cannot do without, recovery is delayed.
In the people, the symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, influenza and bacterial rhinitis or tonsillitis are often called the single word "cold". This is wrong. A cold is nothing more than a weakening of the child's immunity, which became possible as a result of hypothermia. A cold may well precede a viral or bacterial infection, but is not considered an independent disease. A cold can be distinguished from a virus or bacteria by the absence of fever, acute catarrhal symptoms.

The only reliable way to distinguish one from the other, and at the same time to find out which viruses or bacteria struck the child is laboratory diagnostics. An analysis of blood, urine, swabs from the throat and nose is an ample basis for the laboratory determination of either viral particles and antibodies, or specific bacteria in them.

Learn more about the difference between a viral infection and a bacterial one.