Viral throat infection

Bacteria cause bacterial infections. Viruses cause viral infections. Antibiotic medicines kill or keep many bacteria from growing but don't treat viruses. Antiviral medicines help the body clear out some viruses. Bacteria Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms. They can live in many different types of environments. Bacteria also live on and in the human body. Most bacteria cause no harm and some help. For example, bacteria in the intestines help digest food. But bacteria can cause illness. For example, bacteria that travel from the anus into the urinary tract can cause a urinary tract infection. People can come into contact with bacteria from other people, food or the environment. These bacteria can cause illnesses. Some examples are: • Strep throat. • Tuberculosis. • Salmonellosis. • Tetanus. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or block activities bacteria need to live or grow. Hundreds of antibiotics exist. But bacteria have naturally occurring genetic means to help them avoid being wiped out. The bacteria that stay alive and active after being treated with antibiotics are called antibiotic-resistant bacteria. If disease-causing bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, treating illnesses can become harder in the future. Antibiotic resistance can mean that people are sicker for longer. Some people may even die from infections that used to be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are unlike other types of medicine. How a person uses an antibiotic can affect ho...

Overview Herpangina is a virus that creates small, white, blister-like sores inside of a child’s mouth and throat. What is herpangina? Herpangina is a viral infection that quickly spreads among children who are close to each other, especially if they attend daycare or school. The infection causes a high fever and mouth sores that can be painful. Herpangina is closely related to Who does herpangina affect? Herpangina most often affects toddlers and children younger than 10 years old, especially children who attend daycare or schools where they interact with other children. Adolescents and adults can also get the condition, but it’s less frequent. Newborns, people with compromised immune systems and those who are pregnant are at a higher risk of getting a severe form of herpangina that could be dangerous or life-threatening. How common is herpangina? Herpangina is a common viral infection that quickly spreads in daycare centers and schools due to children being in close contact with each other. It’s most common in the summer and fall months. How does herpangina affect my child’s body? Herpangina causes blister-like sores inside of your child’s mouth and throat. This will make eating and drinking painful and swallowing difficult if their diagnosis is severe. Even though your child will want to avoid eating or drinking, it’s important that they don’t miss meals and are drinking plenty of fluids to avoid Symptoms and Causes What are the symptoms of herpangina? Symptoms vary for...

Most bacterial and viral infections are contagious, and different types of pathogens may lead to symptoms of varying severity. Some illnesses may require antibiotics or antiviral treatments, while others may be prevented with the help of vaccinations. In this article, we take a look at the primary differences between bacterial and viral infections. We explore how these infections are transmitted and treated and what you can do to prevent getting and passing them on. Bacterial infections Viral infections • They stem from • Bacteria may be within or on the human body. • Not all bacteria are harmful to humans. • Pathogenic bacteria refer to microorganisms that can make humans sick. • In some cases, bacterial infections may be treated with antibiotics. • They stem from • Viruses feed off of healthy cells in the body, sometimes killing their host cells as they multiply. • Certain types of viral infections are treated with antiviral medications. • Antibiotics can’t cure a viral infection. Bacterial infections Bacteria are tiny microorganisms that are made up of a single cell. They’re very diverse and can have a large variety of shapes and structural features. Bacteria can live in almost every conceivable environment, including in or on the human body. Only a handful of bacteria cause infections in humans. These bacteria are referred to as pathogenic bacteria. Viral infections Viruses are another type of tiny microorganism, although they’re even smaller than bacteria. Like bacter...

All of these viruses can cause cold-like symptoms including fever, runny nose, sore throat, and cough, so “it’s very, very hard to tell the difference between any of them clinically,” says Dr. Helen Chu, an associate professor of infectious disease at the University of Washington and a principal investigator at the Seattle Flu Alliance, which tracks respiratory disease spread. ( While lots of viruses are spreading right now, one respiratory virus is currently causing a particularly high percentage of positives among test results tracked by the CDC: human metapneumovirus (HMPV). More than 20% of antigen and 10% of PCR tests voluntarily reported to the CDC by U.S. laboratories during the week of March 11 came back positive, Dr. John Williams, who is chief of infectious diseases at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and has studied HMPV for more than 20 years, agrees that an uptick in HMPV is not surprising. In North America, HMPV’s peak season is typically February to May, a bit after the typical flu season, he says. This season, “we saw an Plenty of people have likely had HMPV without ever knowing what it was, since it typically results in familiar cold-like symptoms like cough, fever, and nasal congestion. In serious cases—which are most common among young children and elderly or immunocompromised adults—HMPV can also lead to complications including bronchitis and pneumonia, according to the CDC. Some people also experience shortness of breath. It’s difficult to say if...