Bacterial or Viral Infection?
Did you know that antibiotics do not help infections caused by viruses, like the flu or the common cold? Yet, 50-60% of patients with viral infections receive antibiotics from their doctor - often at the patient's request. For these reasons, your doctor will no longer prescribe an antibiotic for the flu or other viral infection.
Please follow your doctor's advice and don't request an antibiotic for a viral infection. So, how do you know if you have a bacterial or viral infection? Your doctor can tell if an illness is caused by a bacteria or a virus by looking at your symptoms or doing lab tests. Here are some common symptoms and whether they are related to a bacterial or viral infection:
| Condition or Symptom |
Bacterial |
Viral |
| Common Cold |
|
X |
| Runny Nose/Sneezing |
|
X |
| Sinus Congestion |
|
X |
| Flu |
|
X |
| Aches and Pains |
X |
X |
| Temperature of 100 degrees + |
X |
X |
| Headache |
X |
X |
| Bladder/Kidney Infection |
X |