Difference between virus and bacteria

Posted By: Sm Adminon: October 28, 2015In: Miscellaneous

Virus:
A virus is a tiny parasite which can infect all types of the life forms from the plants to the animals. There are no free living viruses. Viruses are smaller in size than the bacteria. All the viruses are harmful. Virus cannot live on its own. Viruses are intracellular organisms. It does not have any structures. They cannot be destroyed completely but the process can be slow down by the use of antibiotics.
Bacteria:
Bacteria are very small organisms. Bacteria are so tiny or small that they can be seen only through the use of microscope. Bacteria have different shapes and sizes. Bacteria constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. They are the unicellular organisms with a cell wall. Bacteria are found everywhere. Some bacteria are useful as well as harmful. There are at least 5 nonillion bacteria in the Earth.

Differences:

Basis	Virus	Bacteria
Definition	An infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host (www.oxforddictionaries.com)	a very large group of microorganisms comprising one of the three domains of living organisms. They are prokaryotic, unicellular, and either free-living in soil or water or parasites of plants or animals. (www.thefreedictionary.com)
Synonyms	Germ, disease, microbe, sickness and microorganism	Organisms, microbes, bacilli, pathogens
Antonyms	Health and good health	Antidote
Types	Its types are: Cold viruses Flu viruses Stomach and intestinal viruses Hepatitis viruses Marburg virus Ebola virus Rabies HIV Smallpox Hantavirus Influenza Dengue Rotavirus	Its types are: Streptococcus Pyogenes Escherichia Coli Vibrio Cholerae Enteritis Salmonella Salmonella Typhi Lactobacillus acidophilus Bacillus subtilis Bifidobacterium animalis Streptococcus thermophiles Lactobacillus reuteri Coccus Bacillus Rickettsia Mycoplasma Spirillum
History	The scientific study of viruses and the infections they cause began in the closing years of the 19th century. By the 20th century many viruses were discovered.	Anton van Leeuwenhoek, the Dutchman, was the first person to see bacteria. He first observed bacteria through his single-lens microscope in 1674.
Word origin	It was originated from Late Middle English (denoting the venom of a snake): from Latin literally ‘slimy liquid, poison’.	It was originated in 1905-10; < New Latin < Greek baktḗria, plural of baktḗrion
Ribosomes	It is absent.	It is present.
Size	It is smaller.	It is larger.
Number of cells	It is unicellular. It has one cell.	It does not have cells. It is not living.
Cell membrane	There is no cell membrane.	It is present below the cell wall.
Pronunciation	Eng (UK): /ˈvʌɪrəs/ Eng (US): /ˈvīrəs/	băk-tîr′ē-ə
Genetic material	It can be DNA or RNA.	The genetic material is DNA.
Host	It can grow on the non-living surfaces as well.	It needs a living host such as plant or an animal.
Antibiotics	The use of antibiotics cannot kill viruses but slow down the process of bacteria.	The use of antibiotics can kill bacteria.
Living	It is both the living and non-living things.	It is living thing.
Advantages/Benefits	Its advantages are: Viruses are important in the field of the molecular and cell biology. Viruses provide simple system that can be used to manipulate and investigate the functions of cells. They are used in the treatment of cancer and in gene therapy. Viruses have provided valuable information about the aspects of cell biology. In genetics, viruses are used ad vectors to introduce genes in the cell which are the case of study.	Its advantages are: They are essential to all living forms on earth. Bacteria are the decomposers. Bacteria are the major reason for causing fermentation of milk into curd and wine into vinegar. Bacteria can be easily modified genetically and are use in gene transfer techniques. Bacteria can degrade a variety of organic compounds and so they can be used in processing waste and bioremediation. Bacteria can be used instead of pesticides.
Disadvantages	Its disadvantages are: In humans viruses causes a wide range of diseases which include HIV, chickenpox, influenza, avian flu, cold, sores, and common cold. Viruses can be transmitted horizontally, from person to person, like from mother to child. They can be vertically transmitted like in the cased of hepatitis B and HIV. Viruses can cause cancer in humans and other species.	Its disadvantages are: Bacteria cause diseases and infection. It lowers the immune system of the body when it enters the host body which makes path to various bacteria into the body. Bacterial infections can breakdown skin and organs. Bacteria produce very bad smell due to their decomposing products.
Example in Sentence	AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. Virus is much smaller than the bacteria.	Bacteria decompose a variety of things. Bacteria can cause illness too.