This article is about the aqueous solution. For the gas, see hydrogen chloride. Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. A colorless, highly pungent solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl) in water, when it reacts with an organic base it forms a hydrochloride salt.
Bacteria are intercellular organisms (i.e. they live in-between cells); whereas viruses are intracellular organisms (they infiltrate the host cell and live inside the cell). They change the host cell's genetic material from its normal function to producing the virus itself.
Viral Infection vs Bacterial infection. 1  The most evident difference between viral and bacterial infections is the etiologic agent or what causes the infection. Viral infections are caused by viruses. As for a bacterial infection, it is caused by the single-celled bacteria. 2  Both viruses and bacteria are microscopic size.