Bacteria vs viruses | What are the differences? - Doctor Explains

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This video is for all you that ever asked the question; what is the difference between a virus and a bacteria? As both can cause quite similar common infections, I can see where all the confusion is coming from.
I already made several videos on different antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. If you are interested you can find those in the playlist here:

What is a virus?
A virus is a submicroscopic agent, meaning they are so small they can’t be seen with a normal microscope. They are between 20-300nm and there are more than 6000 different species of viruses and millions of different types.
One of it’s remarkable features is that it not really considered “a form of life”. Like animals, plants or bacteria. A virus resembles a living organism in the way that is posses genes (which is it’s genetic code). A virus can evolve by natural selection and it can reproduce (it creates copies of itself through self-assembly).
However a virus misses some of the basic characteristic every other form of life has; it does not have it’s own metabolism (it always requires a host to reproduce) and it doesn’t have a cellular structure (like a cell wall). This already explains some of the biggest differences between viruses and a bacteria.

How is a Virus build?
It is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins, called a capsid or nucleocapsid. After entering a host cell the virus will also be covered with an Envelope. Which is made up from the cell wall of the host-cell. And in the protective coat, the nucleocapsid, the genetic information of the virus is stored. This can be DNA or RNA which is a simpler form to store genetic information.

What is a Bacteria?
Bacteria are microorganisms of a few micrometers (which makes them about 1000x bigger than viruses). They exist in many shapes; spheres, rods, spirals.
Interestingly bacteria were among the first life forms to appear at earth, as different types of bacteria adapted to survive in almost any circumstance; in soil, in the depths of the ocean and even close to radioactive waste. This maybe explains why there are so many bacteria everywhere.

We need bacteria!
One other mayor difference is that viruses mainly cause symptoms when infecting us or any other life-form. However nearly all animal life (like we humans) depend on certain bacteria.
We humans have bacteria in our intestines which help us to digest our food and we have bacteria on our skin which play a roll in our immune defence of our skin. So even we humans depend on some harmless bacteria.

How is a Bacteria build?
Bacteria are surrounded by a capsule and cell membrane; which is the outer layer. Inside the cell they have some organelles, which can be seen as an organs. The cell also contains the genetic material of the bacteria, which it needs to reproduce. And lastly bacteria can have a flagellum, which is a fin.

Treatment and prevention.
Viruses are often hard to treat. In some cases the virus can be treated with anti-viral drugs. However in most cases vaccination is the best treatment options as it provides immunity.
Now for a bacterial infection it is a different story, as bacteria often can be treated with antibiotics.

- Disclaimer: this video and the comments are meant purely informational! This is not medical advice! If you are looking for medical advice always contact your own doctor. -

Literature:
1: Slonczewski JL. Foster JW. (2013). Microbiology : an Evolving Science (Third ed.). New York: WW Norton. 82.
2: Sears CL. (2005). A dynamic partnership: celebrating our gut flora. Anaerobe. 11 (5): 247–51.
3: Mahy WJ. Regenmortel MH. (2009). Desk Encyclopedia of General Virology. Oxford: Academic Press. 26.

* The images in this video are used for educational purposes only.

Music:
1. Fredji, Happy Life, Music promoted by Vlog No Copyright Music.
2: Erik Lund, Summertime, Music promoted by Vlog No Copyright Music.

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Loved this. Short but directly to the point.

errands
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I said from the very first there is a vast differance but would folk listen? No! Now I will point them to your video. This should have been on every newspaper front page world wide. Thank you for a great video.

lordfrazerirwin
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The music in the back ground is counter productive. It's like there's an Ice Cream Truck in the room you are recording in.

lighthouse
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Very good explanation and video. You've got my sub with this video alone because i can tell the rest will be just as good or better. 👍👍

royrogers
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You are making me safety I'm definitely subscribing to you

DragonZilla
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TY for such a SUPERB Video. You are informative, engaging and well presented.
I got into a debate with one of my friends last night about this very matter and he totally flipped out swearing at me. Will show him this video
You got a new subscriber mate

Jizzlewobbwtfcus
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Sorry I didn't comment on the last couple videos. I've been in the hospital with really bad osteomyelitis. Great video.

ohionative
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I m from India please make more video on medicine

rathodraman
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Great video. I just found about your channel. I really like your content. 👍

heartcomedy
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wow.
thank you so much.
I lerned a lot ❤

sediqamirzai
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Thank you I understood the concept very well 😀😀

yashaswiniyatiraj
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CAC Garlic Capsules:

This is purely Ayurvedic preparation. Garlic capsules shows anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-microbial, immune-modulator properties. These capsules contains pure extract of garlic. This is effective in atherosclerosis, diabetes, high level of cholesterol, hypertension.

riarkp
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Great video. Just what i was looking for and clearly explained. One question: does uv light kill bacteria? Thanks

georgemoore
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you're amazing thank you so much!

lizo
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The names of the medicines are protonix flagyl and amoxicillin those three are the ones I’m supposed to be drinking cause I have bacterial infection in my stomach

k.ctheking
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Why it's impossible to kick start the immunity after viral infection by some way ?

mansoorvm
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Hello sir I am from India, i try to understand your language 🙏

dheerajkumar
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Right now I have bacterial in my stomach

k.ctheking
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What is the size of bacteria and viruses

nepthaliesotto
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If viruses needed host to live, how are they suspended in some parts of the world, and live more than decades

kenpaul