S.N.

CHARACTER VIRUS BACTERIA

1 Cell type Prokaryotic cells Acellular

2 Number of cells Single celled No cell

3 Size Larger than viruses (0.3-2 µ) Minute (0.02-0.3 µ)

4 Microscopy Visible under light microscope Visible only under electronic

microscope

5 Shape Common bacterial cell shapes Viruses typically have spherical

include cocci (spherical), bacilli
(rod-shaped), spiral and vibrio
(comma-shaped)
6 Cellular machinery Possesses a cellular machinery
(polyhedral) rod-shaped, or helical
shaped capsids while some viuses,
such as bacteriophages, have
complex shapes
Lack cellular machinery

7 Type of organisms Mostly intercellular organisms Intracellular organisms (they

(i.e. they live-in between cells); infiltrate the host cell and live inside
some intracellular the cell)
8 Structure Organelles and genetic material Genetic material within a capsid,
within a cell wall some have an envelope membrane

9 Cell wall Cell wall made of peptidoglycan No cell wall. Protein coat present
and lipopolysaccharide instead

10 Cellular membrane Cell membranes present. No Some are enveloped; but no

sterol except Mycoplasma cells membrane function
which have cholesterol
11 Genome DNA and RNA DNA or RNA
1 chromosome 1 nucleocapsid except in segmented
No histones or diploid viruses
12 Nucleic acid DNA and RNA floating freely in DNA or RNA is enclosed inside a
the cytoplasm coat of protein

13 mRNA Mono- and poly-cistronic mRNA Some have poly-cistronic mRNA

and post translational cleavage

14 Cell organelles Presence of non-membrane Absent. Uses host organelles;

bound cell organelles obligate intracellular parasites

1
15 Ribosomes 70S ribosomes (30S+50S) No ribosomes

16 Living attributes Living organisms Between living and non-living

things

17 Replication Binary fission (asexual). DNA Invades a host cell and takes over
replicates cells continuously the cell causing it to make copies of
the viral DNA/RNA. Destroys the
host cell releasing new viruses
18 Need of host cell Able to reproduce by itself Need a living cell to reproduce

19 Other forms In some spore forming bacteria, Besides viruses, two other acellular
sporulating can be seen forms exist: viroids and prions

20 Cells infected Animal, Plant, Fungi Animal, Plant, Protozoa, Fungi,

Bacteria, Archaea

21 Infection Localized Systemic

22 Induction of Fever A bacterial illness notoriously A viral infection may or may not
causes a fever cause a fever

23 Duration of illness A bacterial illness commonly will Most viral illnesses last 2 to 10 days
last longer than 10 days

24 Diseases/infections Food poisoning, gastritis and AIDS, common cold, influenza,

ulcers, meningitis, pneumonia etc chickenpox etc

25 Susceptibility to Antibiotics Most bacteria susceptible to Virus does not respond to antibiotics
antibiotics

26 Treatment Antibiotics Antiviral drugs

27 Beneficial use Some bacteria are beneficial (as Viruses are not beneficial. However,
normal flora, probiotics, a particular virus may be able to
fermenters etc.) destroy brain tumors. Viruses can be
useful in genetic engineering.
28 Examples E.coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria HIV, Hepatitis A virus, Rhino
sp, Mycobacteria, Staphylococcus Virus, Ebola virus etc
spp., Bacillus anthracis