What are five challenges with treating viral infections compared to bacterial infections.?

Question

Please only serious answers.

Answer 1

Viral infections are self limiting-bacteria will not go away without treatment
Viral infections are contagious-bacteria will be contagious also, but usually only from direct contact
You build up anti-bodies from viruses - not so with bacteria
You should not use anti-biotics because they don't help-bacteria are eliminated with antibiotics
Viruses will mutate is exposed to anti-biotics - and perhaps bacteria can do the same thing

Well that's all I can think of at the moment; and I'm not saying this is absolutely correct. It's been a long time since I was in nursing school. Check your Tabers.

Answer 2

I have some issues with the first answerer:

Viral infections are self limiting-bacteria will not go away without treatment

This statement implies that no one in the history of mankind ever survived bacterial infection before antibiotics. I think we know that to be untrue.

Viral infections are contagious-bacteria will be contagious also, but usually only from direct contact

What about tuberculosis? Clearly, with aerolsolization, bacterial can travel distances.

You build up anti-bodies from viruses - not so with bacteria.

Again, patently false statement. What about pertussis vaccine, meningitis vaccine? Those are to bacteria.

You should not use anti-biotics because they don't help-bacteria are eliminated with antibiotics

The only marginally true statement. Antibiotics are frequently used after viral infections have disrupted the body's natural defense mechanisms and allowed secondary bacterial infection to set up.

Viruses will mutate is exposed to anti-biotics - and perhaps bacteria can do the same thing

Mixed messages here. Viruses mutate with our without antibiotics. Bacteria can mutate to form antibiotic resistance, but not an issue usually in any one case.

I can only say I am thankful she is retired. No offense intended, but one should be reasonably sure they are giving reasonably accurate answers before claiming some sort of "expertise".

OH MY, the second answerer is incorrect also, I shan't tackle more than one though.

Answer 3

Bacteria are relaively simple to treat (unless they are antibiotic resistant) Viruses are much harder to treat. Perhaps you have had this experince, somebody is taking antibiotics for a cold. Now, if this is a true cold, the antibiotics will have no effect, since they work only on viruses. There are only a few antiviral drugs avalible now, such as Tamiflu, and most of these drugs have very serious side effects. Also, viruses are much smaller than bacteria, requiring much finer and expensive filters, such as HEPA filters. Lastly, viruses have no limit on their growth, bacteria must deal with disposal of their own waste, as well as food. Viruses need only cells to infect, each individual virus is not competing with other viruses for food. Oh, and also viruses can mutate, the flu (influenza) and the cold (a rhinovirus) for example mutate so rapidly that sometimes two slightly diffrent viruses can be found in one person. Such rapid mutability does not often happen in bacteria. Since antibodies can only attack a very very specific virus structure, a mutated virus will be "immune." That's why there isn't a cold vaccine, and the flu vaccine has to be changed every year.

P.S. There's something even worse than a virus, a prion, a misfolded, rouge protine that acts like a virus, but cannot be killed by antiseptics, uv light (which will kill viruses) and is even harder to stop than a virus. Prions are truly terrifying, washing your hands does not have a effect on them, they won't die.

Answer 4

Compliance, Resistance to Antivirals (Not Antibiotics), Cultural Matters, Co-Infection, Expense of Drugs. BTW, Viruses Are Not Bacteria.

Answer 5

A virus can mutate itself and become immune to an antibiotic because the antibiotic is designed to attack a specific virus. When the virus is "attacked" it changes its appearance and becomes a new one the antibiotic is not looking for. A bacteria on the other hand remains a bacteria and can be attacked by an antibiotic. This is just layman's terms, but hopefully it helps understand a little bit about the difference.

Answer 6

--viruses are much smaller in size,they not only penetrate into host cell but also into hot cell NUCLEUS which is dangerous and which u dont find in case of bacteria.
--viruses survive and reproduce INSIDE the host cell therefore body's immune system is always in dilemma as to kill viruses it first needs to kill its own cells.
--free flowing drugs in systemic(blood) circulation cannot affect viruses as they are inside host cells which is usually not seen in case bacterial infections.
--cant use conventional antibiotics and if used may lead to mutation as stated
NOTE--- AS EVERYTHING IN WORLD HAS EXCEPTIONS ANS SO IS IN CASE OF VIRUSES AND BACTERIA.