What is the difference between a virus and a bacteria?

Viruses. Viruses are even smaller than bacteria and require living hosts — such as people, plants or animals — to multiply. Otherwise, they can't survive. When a virus enters your body, it invades some of your cells and takes over the cell machinery, redirecting it to produce the virus. read more

Viruses are the smallest and simplest life form known. They are 10 to 100 times smaller than bacteria. The biggest difference between viruses and bacteria is that viruses must have a living host - like a plant or animal - to multiply, while most bacteria can grow on non-living surfaces. read more

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. read more

If you don't know what your illness is exactly, it is harder to tell the difference between bacteria and a virus because the symptoms for each can be difficult to distinguish. Both bacteria and viruses can cause nausea, vomiting, elevated temperatures, fatigue, and general malaise. read more