Tell a Viral from a Bacterial Infection

Viral and bacterial infections have very similar symptoms. Testing is the only way to know for sure, but this can be costly and time consuming. Some subtle differences can help alert you to whether you have a viral or bacterial infection. Different infections last longer and you may have different color mucus depending on whether your infection is viral or bacterial. Make sure to stay home and care for yourself if you're sick. Give your body time to rest and recover.

Steps

Observing Your Symptoms

1. Track the length of your illness. In general, viral infections tend to last longer. Symptoms that linger for a week or more may be a virus. However, it's important to stay vigilant and talk to your doctor about antibiotics if symptoms last for awhile. Viruses can morph into things like sinus infections, which may result in you developing a bacterial infection as well.
2. Pay attention to the color of your mucus. When you blow your nose or cough up mucus, pay attention to the color. While it may feel a little gross, color can be an indicator of whether you have a viral or bacterial infection.
   • Thin and clear mucus is more likely to be a viral infection. Dark, greenish mucus is more likely to be a bacterial infection.
   • However, mucus color is not a 100% accurate indicator of whether you have a viral or bacterial infection. Make sure to weigh in other factors.
3. Observe your throat. A sore throat is common for both viral and bacterial infections. However, certain types of sore throats can indicate a bacterial infection. White spots are generally caused by bacteria. A sore throat without other symptoms, such as a runny nose or sneezing, may be a bacterial infection such as strep throat.
4. Evaluate your fever. Fevers can be present in both viral and bacterial infections. However, fevers differ slightly with different types of infections. In bacterial infections, fevers tend to be higher. With a bacterial infection, fevers get worse after a few days while they tend to improve a few days in with a viral infection.
   • The normal human body temperature runs between 97.8° F (36.5°C) and 99°F (37.2°C).

Evaluating Risk Factors

1. Reflect on your likelihood of having a flu. The flu is caused by a viral infection. If the flu is going around your office or place of work, remember it's highly contagious. If you've interacted with people with the flu recently, there is a good chance your symptoms are caused by the flu.
2. Think about age. Younger children are more prone to certain viral infections. Upper respiratory infections specifically are more common in younger children. If your child is displaying symptoms like a sore throat, sneezing, and coughing, they may have an upper respiratory infection.
   • If you believe your child has an upper respiratory infection, take them to see a doctor.
3. Recall recent sinus infections. Sometimes, bacteria can start as a viral infection and morph into a bacterial one. If you recently had some kind of viral infection, such as a sinus infection, you may have developed a secondary bacterial infection. If you have had two illnesses close to one another, you may be more likely to have a bacterial infection.
   • In some cases, other viral infections could lead to a bacterial infection. Any illness that lingers for more than a couple of weeks should be evaluated by a doctor.

Seeking Medical Care

1. See a doctor right away if you have certain symptoms. Most bacterial and viral infections can be managed at home with self care. However, under certain conditions you should see a doctor right away. It's especially important these symptoms are addressed in children. See a doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms:
   • Urinating less than three times in 24 hours
   • Difficulty breathing
   • No improvement over three to five days
2. Take antibiotics for a bacterial infection. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and will not do anything to stop a viral infection. Doctors may not always prescribe antibiotics, even for bacterial infections, but they may be necessary if your infection is serious.
   • The only way to know for sure if you have a viral or bacterial infection is to get tested. A doctor will collect mucus or do a throat swab and send the sample to a lab. Your doctor may want to test you for a bacterial infection if they believe you would benefit from antibiotics.
3. Try over-the-counter medications for pain. If a viral or bacterial infection is causing you a lot of pain, ask a pharmacist about what over-the-counter pain medications may help. Make sure you use medications according to package instructions and ask a pharmacist whether they will interfere with any existing medications.
   • If you are prescribed an antibiotic, ask your doctor about which over-the-counter pain medications are safe to use with your antibiotics.
4. Get a flu vaccination. To prevent a reoccurrence of illness, get a flu vaccination. This will protect you from the virus that causes the flu. While this is a viral infection, viral infections can some time lead to a bacterial infection. A flu shot can reduce your risk of developing viral and bacterial infections.
   • A flu shot will not protect from all viruses or bacteria. While it reduces your risk, you may still get sick.

Tips

• Getting the flu vaccine can help prevent you from getting viral infections.
• Basic self-care is important to treat viral and bacterial infections. Drink plenty of water and get extra rest. If possible, take time off of work or school as symptoms persist.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Dry Up Mucus
• Get Rid of MRSA
• Prevent Ebola
• Identify Symptoms of MRSA
• Treat Measles
• Avoid Communicable Diseases
• Treat Amebiasis
• Recognize Epstein Barr Symptoms
• Test for MRSA
• Protect Yourself from Infectious Diseases

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