There are a number of differences between a virus and bacteria, or more appropriately, viruses and bacteria, including their relative sizes, reproduction methods and resistance to medical intervention. Bacterium, the singular form of the word bacteria, is a one-celled living organism, with complete sets of both ribonucleic acids (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) genetic codes. A virus is little more than a section of RNA or DNA covered by a protein shell. Bacterium, therefore, is at least a hundred times larger than a typical virus.

One major difference between viruses and bacteria is the method of reproduction. Bacterium is a completely self-contained and self-reproducing unit. When the time is right, bacterium will split its DNA and RNA genetic material in two. Separate cell walls will build up around these two new bacteria, and this process will continue until thousands or millions of bacteria have formed. This is how strains of bacteria survive in almost every environment on Earth, including non-living surfaces like rocks or plastic.

A virus, on the other hand, cannot reproduce without a living host. A virus may lie dormant for thousands of years before finally coming into contact with a suitable host. Once it enters the body of a host, a virus uses leg-like appendages to clamp onto a cell and a spike or chemical coating to penetrate the cell wall.

Once inside a living cell, a virus replaces the cell's original DNA or RNA commands with its own genetic instructions. Those instructions are usually to make as many copies of the virus as possible. Once the individual cell has outlived its usefulness, it explodes and sends out thousands of copies of the original virus to other unsuspecting cells.

Ninety-nine percent of all known bacteria are considered beneficial to humans, or at least harmless. They spend their days breaking down organic matter and destroying harmful parasites. The small percentage of bacteria considered harmful to the human body, such as streptococcus and E.coli, are still performing the same functions as their less-toxic bacteria brethren.

Bacteria feed on the tissues of the human body and excrete toxins and acids afterwards. It is these toxins and irritating acids that cause many of the problems associated with bacterial infection. If the bacteria can be killed with antibiotics, the infections left behind should clear up soon afterwards.

Most viruses, on the other hand, serve no beneficial purpose. Their sole mission in

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