Bacterial and Viral Infections

Bacterial and viral infections have many things in common. Both types of infections are caused by microbes -- bacteria and viruses, respectively -- and spread by things such as:

Coughing and sneezing.
Contact with infected people, especially through kissing and sex.
Contact with contaminated surfaces, food, and water.
Contact with infected creatures, including pets, livestock, and insects such as fleas and ticks.
Microbes can also cause:

Acute infections, which are short-lived.
Chronic infections, which can last for weeks, months, or a lifetime.
Latent infections, which may not cause symptoms at first but can reactivate over a period of months and years.
Most importantly, bacterial and viral infections, can cause mild, moderate, and severe diseases.

Throughout history, millions of people have died of diseases such as bubonic plague or the Black Death, which is caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria, and smallpox, which is caused by the variola virus. In recent times, viral infections have been responsible for two major pandemics: the 1918-1919 “Spanish flu” epidemic that killed 20-40 million people, and the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic that killed an estimated 1.5 million people worldwide in 2013 alone.

Bacterial and viral infections can cause similar symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, fever, inflammation, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and cramping -- all of which are ways the immune system tries to rid the body of infectious organisms. But bacterial and viral infections are dissimilar in many other important respects, most of them due to the organisms' structural differences and the way they respond to medications.

The Differences Between Bacteria and Viruses
Although bacteria and viruses are both too small to be seen without a microscope, they're as different as giraffes and goldfish.

Bacteria are relatively complex, single-celled creatures with a rigid wall and a thin, rubbery membrane surrounding the fluid inside the cell. They can reproduce on their own. Fossilized records show that bacteria have existed for about 3.5 billion years, and bacteria can survive in different environments, including extreme heat and cold, radioactive waste, and the human body.

Most bacteria are harmless, and some actually help by digesting food, destroying disease-causing microbes, fighting cancer cells, and providing essential nutrients. Fewer than 1% of bacteria cause diseases in people.

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. In most cases, they reprogram the cells to make new viruses until the cells burst and die. In other cases, they turn normal cells into malignant or cancerous cells.

Also unlike bacteria, most viruses do cause disease, and they're quite specific about the cells they attack. For example, certain viruses attack cells in the liver, respiratory system, or blood. In some cases, viruses target bacteria.

Diagnosis of Bacterial and Viral Infections
You should consult your doctor if you think you have a bacterial or viral infection. Exceptions include the common cold, which is usually not life-threatening.

In some cases, it's difficult to determine the origin of an infection because many ailments -- including pneumonia, meningitis, and diarrhea -- can be caused by either bacteria or viruses. But your doctor often can pinpoint the cause by listening to your medical history and doing a physical exam.

If necessary, he or she also can order a blood or urine test to help confirm a diagnosis, or a "culture test" of tissue to identify bacteria or viruses. Occasionally, a biopsy of affected tissue may be required.

Treatment of Bacterial and Viral Infections
The discovery of antibiotics for bacterial infections is considered one of the most important breakthroughs in medical history. Unfortunately, bacteria are very adaptable, and the overuse of antibiotics has made many of them resistant to antibiotics. This has created serious problems, especially in hospital settings.

Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, and many leading organizations now recommend against using antibiotics unless there is clear evidence of a bacterial infection.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, vaccines have been developed. Vaccines have drastically reduced the number of new cases of viral diseases such as polio, measles, and chickenpox. In addition, vaccines can prevent such infections such as the flu, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus (HPV), and others.

But the treatment of viral infections has proved more challenging, primarily because viruses are relatively tiny and reproduce inside cells. For some viral diseases, such as herpes simplex virus infections, HIV/AIDS, and influenza, antiviral medications have become available. But the use of antiviral medications has been associated with the development of drug-resistant microbes.

What Is Amebiasis?
Amebiasis (am-uh-BYE-eh-sis) is an infection of the intestines with a parasite called Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica). The parasite is an amoeba (uh-MEE-buh), a single-celled organism. People can get this parasite by eating or drinking something that's contaminated with it.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Amebiasis?
In many cases, the parasite that causes amebiasis lives in a person's large intestine without causing any symptoms. Other times, it causes:
Diarrhea (which may be bloody)
Stomach pains
Cramping
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Fever
In rare cases, it can spread into other organs such as the liver, lungs, and brain. For some people, symptoms of amebiasis can begin within days to weeks of swallowing contaminated food or water. For others, symptoms can take months to appear.


How Does Amebiasis Spread?
Amebiasis is contagious. People with amoebas in their intestines can pass the infection to others through stool (poop) even if they have no symptoms. When infected stool contaminates food or water supplies, amebiasis can spread quickly among many people at once. This is especially true in developing countries, where drinking water may be contaminated.

Amebiasis can also spread between people when hands aren't washed well, contaminated objects are shared, and by sexual contact.

Amebiasis usually happens in areas where living conditions are crowded and unsanitary. The illness is common in parts of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. It is rare in the United States, but is sometimes seen in people who have immigrated from or traveled to countries where amebiasis is more common.


How Can Amebiasis Be Prevented?
Because amoebas may contaminate food and water, you can help prevent the illness by being careful about what you eat and drink, especially in developing countries. In those areas, a good rule regarding food is to cook it, boil it, peel it, or forget it. Ice can also be contaminated and should be avoided in these countries.

Everyone should wash their hands well after using the bathroom and before preparing or eating food.


How Is Amebiasis Treated?
Doctors can treat amebiasis with antibiotics . Some people need more treatment, such as extra fluids.


When should you Call the Doctor?
Call your doctor if anyone in your family has signs or symptoms of amebiasis, such as:
Diarrhea with blood or mucus
Diarrhea that lasts longer than 2 weeks
Belly pain
A fever
A swollen belly
Pain or tenderness in the area of the liver (below the ribs on the right side)
This is especially important if you have recently travelled to a part of the world where amebiasis is common. Also call the doctor if your child has diarrhea and shows signs of being dehydrated, such as a dry or sticky mouth, peeing less than usual, no tears when crying, dizziness, or drowsiness.

Acanthamoeba

Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, free-living ameba, or amoeba (single-celled living organism), that can cause rare, but severe infections of the eye, skin, and central nervous system. The ameba is found worldwide in the environment in water and soil. The ameba can be spread to the eyes through contact lens use, cuts, or skin wounds or by being inhaled into the lungs. Most people will be exposed to Acanthamoeba during their lifetime, but very few will become sick from this exposure.


The three diseases caused by Acanthamoeba are:
Acanthamoeba keratitis: An infection of the eye that typically occurs in healthy persons and can result in permanent visual impairment or blindness.

Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE): A serious infection of the brain and spinal cord that typically occurs in persons with a compromised immune system.

Disseminated Infection: A widespread infection that affects the skin, sinuses, lungs and other organs independently or in combination. It is also more common in persons with a compromised immune system.


Where is Acanthamoeba found?
Acanthamoeba is found worldwide. Most commonly, Acanthamoeba is found in soil, dust, fresh water sources (such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs), in brackish water (such as a marsh), and sea water. Acanthamoeba can also be found in swimming pools, hot tubs, drinking water systems (for example, slime layers in pipes and taps), as well as in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and humidifiers.

How does infection with Acanthamoeba occur?
Acanthamoeba keratitis infection has been linked to contact lens use, although people who do not use contact lenses can also become infected. Poor contact lens hygiene or wearing contact lenses during swimming, hot tub use, or showering may increase the risk of Acanthamoeba entering the eye and causing a serious infection. However, contact lens wearers who practice proper lens care can also develop infection.


Who is at risk for infection with Acanthamoeba?
Acanthamoeba keratitis is most common in people who wear contact lenses, but anyone can develop the infection. For people who wear contact lenses, certain practices can increase the risk of getting Acanthamoeba keratitis:
Storage and handling lenses improperly
Disinfecting lenses improperly (such as using tap water or homemade solutions to clean the lenses)
Swimming, using a hot tub, or showering while wearing lenses
Coming into contact with contaminated water
Having a history of trauma to the cornea


Is there treatment for infection with Acanthamoeba?
Eye and skin infections caused by Acanthamoeba are usually treatable. It is important to see your health care provider immediately if you think you have Acanthamoeba infection of the eye or skin as medical treatment is most effective when started early. Unfortunately, most cases of brain and spinal cord infection with Acanthamoeba (Granulomatous Encephalitis) are fatal.


How can you prevent an infection with Acanthamoeba?
These guidelines should be followed by all contact lens users to help reduce the risk of eye infections, including Acanthamoeba keratitis:
Visit your eye care provider for regular eye examinations.
Wear and replace contact lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care provider.
Remove contact lenses before any activity involving contact with water, including showering, using a hot tub, or swimming.
Wash hands with soap and water and dry before handling contact lenses.
Clean contact lenses according to instructions from your eye care provider and the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Never reuse or top off old solution. Use fresh cleaning or disinfecting solution each time lenses are cleaned and stored.
Never use saline solution or re wetting drops to disinfect lenses. Neither solution is an effective or approved disinfectant.
Be sure to clean, rub, and rinse your lenses each time you remove your lenses. Rubbing and rinsing your contact lenses will aid in removing harmful microbes and residues.
Store reusable lenses in the proper storage case.
Storage cases should be rubbed and rinsed with sterile contact lens solution (never use tap water), emptied, and left open to dry after each use.
Replace storage cases at least once every three months.
Contact lens users with questions regarding which solutions are best for them should consult their eye care providers. They should also consult their eye care providers if they have any of the following symptoms: eye pain or redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, sensation of something in the eye, or excessive tearing.

While it may not strike us immediately, the human body plays host to billions and billions of bacteria all the time. Even the ones who claim to be extra clean, have these. While some are considered normal flora, if not controlled, they could lead to problems like infection, odour, etc.

Read on to know 5 of the most infected areas of the human body.

Mouth: No amount of brushing or rinsing can help in keeping the mouth clean. Our mouth is a host to more than 600 types of bacteria and these are required for maintaining the pH in the mouth. It is only when there is an imbalance that infection occurs along with bad breath. The tongue is another part which can allow bacteria to breed both on it and under it. The color of the tongue is a good indication of bacterial growth. Tongue cleaning or brushing is definitely recommended.

Belly button: Again, no amount of time you spend in the shower can help you clean the belly button completely. It has about 2000 plus varieties of bacteria and given its hidden and warm nature (compared to the rest of the body temperature), they are ideal for bacterial growth. People with piercings and obesity definitely carry more bacteria than others. Immediately after the bath, try using a cotton ear bud in your navel and see how much dirt is accumulated.

Armpits: Those who shave their armpits are better off than those who flaunt their hair here. It has more than 80,000 bacteria and not many are even identified. It definitely requires more cleaning than the rest of the body. Shaving the armpits regularly improves the hygiene of the armpits to a large extent.

Nasal cavity: Air enters the body for respiration through the nose, and this air carries a lot of bacteria. The fine hairs in the nostrils which filter out the air of all these bacteria make the nasal cavity another dirty place. When fingering the nose or itching the nose, these get carried to the fingers and all other areas that get subsequently touched!

Nails: Both the finger and toe nails are built such that they are perfect homes for bacteria, especially the skin under the finger nails. Those who do not clean their nails regularly are highly prone to nail and/or skin infections. Added to this, there are people who walk barefoot and the chances are further increased. Hard to believe, but the feet are one of the most ignored body parts in terms of cleaning.

While most of us consider the genitals and the anus to be the dirtiest, which is not totally false, there are more visible parts which need more care and cleaning.

Bacteria and virus can flourish around you anytime, anywhere. Whether you are traveling in public transport or sitting in an air-conditioned workplace, you can catch any disease from common cold to severe viral fever.

Yes, medical facilities are readily available in order to get cured at the earliest. But, many of us still make some common mistakes which prolong our illness, and sometimes, make it worse. Well, it not only takes the persistence but basic awareness to recover completely.

Here are a few of those mistakes that you need to stop making in order to get well soon:

Popping Pills: Indeed, medicines are easily available. But, turning up to a nearby drugstore and popping a pill without consulting your doctor is the foremost mistake that most of you do not realize. Such impulsive behavior can actually do more harm to your body than good.

Ignoring Nutritious Food: Feeling weak and lethargic is a part of the recovery process. Yes, it does kill your appetite too, but you need to make sure that you are keeping yourself hydrated and consuming enough of nutrients. So, eating fresh fruits and nutrition-rich foods such as chicken soup, khichdi, eggs is must to regain strength and physical stamina.

Taking Excessive Stress: Thinking about all that piled up work while taking the due rest that your doctor has recommended is really a very bad idea. Stress and anxiety will only slow down the healing process. So, focus on relaxing and getting your immunity back. Once you are fueled up, you can resume the normal activities with great energy.

Ignoring The Early Signs: Having a blocked nose and headache are early signs of falling ill. These symptoms are usually not taken seriously, and people go about their day as usual, but the fact is that these signs are telling you to slow down and take time off to recuperate. So, pay heed to the signs of your body.

Spreading Germs: Ignoring the symptoms and mixing freely with everyone is actually doing more harm, not only to your own self but to others as well. Others become prone to illness if you mingle freely with them. So, avoid sharing tissues, pillows, utensils or anything that comes in contact with you.

Neglecting Time-Tested Remedies: Old time-tested remedies are the best way to go and people often forget them amidst the readily available prescription drugs out there. The regular intake of turmeric milk, ginger, honey and lemon can work wonders for chest congestion and cold. These will not only help you boost your immunity but can speed up the entire recovery process.

Smoking and Alcohol Consumption: Nothing is worse than smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol when it comes to your health and immunity. So, when you are sick, try to control the urge to smoke or drink.
When it comes to convalescing from sickness, taking due care is more important than following the medications blindly.