ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -With bacteria rapidly developing resistance to antibiotics, it is increasingly important that we know the distinction, because viruses can’t be treated with antibiotics, nor bacteria with antivirals.

Detailed explanation-2: -Viruses are tinier: the largest of them are smaller than the smallest bacteria. All they have is a protein coat and a core of genetic material, either RNA or DNA. Unlike bacteria, viruses can’t survive without a host. They can only reproduce by attaching themselves to cells.

Detailed explanation-3: -Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria germs and can only treat sickness caused by bacteria, also known as a bacterial infection. This includes strep throat, urinary tract infections (UTI) and many skin infections. Antibiotics don’t work on sickness caused by virus germs, also known as a viral infection.

Detailed explanation-4: -Viruses and bacteria also have a different structure and a different way of surviving. Viruses are surrounded by a protective protein coating; they don’t have cell walls that can be attacked by antibiotics like bacteria does. It is because of this that antibiotics don’t work on viruses.