ELI5, why do viruses and bacteria have many of the same symptoms when they infect a human?

Question

Soar throat, sniffles, sneezes, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea- any combination of these could be covid, flu, common cold, adenovirus, astrovitus, strep, etc

In: 2

Answer 1

Strictly speaking, it’s not the virus causing the fever or the sniffles and sneezing. Your body does these in response to the viral or bacterial threat. Raise body temperature in an effort to literally cook the invader to death. Sneeze to expel the invader, etc.

We only have so many symptoms to go around because our bodies can only respond in so many ways.