Know your infection: How antibiotic remedy can have adverse health effects

Many severe infections are a result of mixed infections, with bacteria and viruses

The human body contains 10 times more microbes than human cells; in fact, microbes make up one to three per cent of our body weight. These microbes — referred to as our microbiome — are vital to ensure proper functioning of our body. 

Some microbes, called pathogens, can also cause infections. Bacteria and viruses are two very different types of pathogens that cause infections. Only about one per cent of all bacteria are pathogenic while almost all viruses can cause infections. They can cause a variety of illnesses, ranging from common cold to serious infections in vital organs. Diagnostics play an