WEBVTT

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(Music)
Joan Cartan-Hansen, Host: The

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two major causes of infectious
disease are viruses and

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bacteria.

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But what's the difference?

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Viruses are not alive.

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They need to infect a host in
order to replicate.

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Outside of a host, they're
called dormant.

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Bacteria are living, one-cell
organisms.

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They don't need a host to
survive.

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They live in soil, water,
plants, animals and people.

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Viruses are much smaller than
bacteria.

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A viral infection tends to be
systemic, that is the virus

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spreads through the whole
body.

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Diseases caused by viruses
include the flu, measles, AIDS

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and COVID-19.

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A bacterial infection is
usually limited to one

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specific part of the body.

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Bacterial diseases include
pneumonia and strep throat.

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Antibiotics are used to treat
bacterial infections.

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But we don't have as many
antiviral medicines.

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So, if you catch some viruses,
the most doctors can do is

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treat the symptoms.

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For more information about
viruses, check out the science

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trek website.

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You'll find it at science trek
dot org.