It’s so common to lump viruses and bacteria together in the same breath that you might trick yourself into thinking they are the same thing. While both viruses and bacteria can cause infections in the body, they are very different germs with very different treatments.
References
MedlinePlus. (2018). Bacterial infections.
MedlinePlus. (2023). Viral infections.
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Written by:
Lauren Smith, MALauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MDSanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.
