How do bacterial infections spread

See, Play and Learn Images. Resources Find an Expert. Start Here. Diagnosis and Tests. Prevention and Risk Factors. Treatments and Therapies. Related Issues. Statistics and Research. As the wildfires rage on, people in the West now have to protect themselves not only from the novel coronavirus, but from wildfire smoke as well…. Getting scratched by your dog can happen, especially during feeding and playtime. Learn about possible health risks from dog scratches and how to….

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But some circumstances may increase your risk of developing certain diseases and other health risks. Learn more…. While masks are beneficial in protecting from COVID, side effects including a sore throat may also be linked to mask-use. Depending on the type of…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Are Bacterial Infections Contagious? Medically reviewed by Vincent J. Duration How infections spread Vs. How long is an infection contagious? How do bacterial infections spread?

Are viral infections or bacterial infections more contagious? The takeaway. Read this next. The four main types of virus include:. This makes it difficult for antibodies to reach them. Some special immune system cells, called T-lymphocytes, can recognise and kill cells containing viruses, since the surface of infected cells is changed when the virus begins to multiply. Many viruses, when released from infected cells, will be effectively knocked out by antibodies that have been produced in response to infection or previous immunisation.

Antibiotics are useless against viral infections. This is because viruses are so simple that they use their host cells to perform their activities for them. So antiviral drugs work differently to antibiotics, by interfering with the viral enzymes instead. Antiviral drugs are currently only effective against a few viral diseases, such as influenza, herpes, hepatitis B and C and HIV — but research is ongoing. A naturally occurring protein, called interferon which the body produces to help fight viral infections , can now be produced in the laboratory and is used to treat hepatitis C infections.

It is possible to vaccinate against many serious viral infections such as measles, mumps, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. An aggressive worldwide vaccination campaign, headed by the World Health Organization WHO , managed to wipe out smallpox.

However, some viruses — such as those that cause the common cold — are capable of mutating from one person to the next. This is how an infection with essentially the same virus can keep dodging the immune system.

Vaccination for these kinds of viruses is difficult, because the viruses have already changed their format by the time vaccines are developed. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Anthrax is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial disease that occasionally infects humans. The Western obsession with cleanliness may be partly responsible for the increase in allergic asthma and conditions such as rhinitis. Careful prescribing of antibiotics will minimise the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.

Aspergillus is a fungus that commonly grows on rotting vegetation. It can cause asthma symptoms. The simplest form of prevention for lyssavirus is to avoid close contact with bats. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. A bacterium is a single, but complex, cell. It can survive on its own, inside or outside the body. In fact, we have many bacteria on and inside our body, especially in the gut to help digest food. But some bacteria can cause infections.

Bacterial infections can affect the throat, lungs, skin, bowel and many others parts of the body. Many are mild; some are severe. Examples of bacterial infections include whooping cough , strep throat , ear infection and urinary tract infection UTI. The symptoms of a bacterial infection will depend on the location of the infection and the type of bacteria. A bacterial infection occurs when bacteria enter the body, increase in number, and cause a reaction in the body.

Bacteria can enter the body through an opening in your skin, such as a cut or a surgical wound, or through your airway and cause infections like bacterial pneumonia. For example, an untreated infected cut can cause cellulitis and a life-threatening condition called sepsis.

Sepsis is always a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the following:. Most bacterial infections can be effectively treated with antibiotics. They either kill bacteria or stop them multiplying.

Antibiotics that work against a wide range of bacteria are called broad-spectrum antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem so antibiotics may be prescribed only for serious bacterial infections. Bacterial infections can be highly contagious, so you need to take special care to avoid spreading infections by washing hands, covering up when sneezing and coughing, and not sharing cups and drink bottles.

If you think you may have a bacterial infection, use healthdirect's online Symptom Checker. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.