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Pathogen. In biology, a pathogen ( Greek: πάθος, pathos "suffering", "passion" and -γενής, -genēs "producer of"), in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ. [ 1]
Pathogenic bacteria. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (small red dots) in pus from a man with a urethral discharge ( Gram stain) Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease. [ 1 ] This article focuses on the bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Most species of bacteria are harmless and are often beneficial but others can cause infectious ...
Human pathogen. A human pathogen is a pathogen ( microbe or microorganism such as a virus, bacterium, prion, or fungus) that causes disease in humans . The human physiological defense against common pathogens (such as Pneumocystis) is mainly the responsibility of the immune system with help by some of the body's normal microbiota.
An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable disease, is an illness resulting from an infection. Infections can be caused by a wide range of pathogens, most prominently bacteria and viruses. [ 2] Hosts can fight infections using their immune systems.
An opportunistic infection is an infection caused by pathogens (bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses) that take advantage of an opportunity not normally available.These opportunities can stem from a variety of sources, such as a weakened immune system (as can occur in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or when being treated with immunosuppressive drugs, as in cancer treatment), [1] an altered ...
In medicine, public health, and biology, transmission is the passing of a pathogen causing communicable disease from an infected host individual or group to a particular individual or group, regardless of whether the other individual was previously infected. [ 1 ] The term strictly refers to the transmission of microorganisms directly from one ...
Immune system. The immune system is a network of biological systems that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells and objects such as wood splinters, distinguishing them from the organism's own healthy tissue.
The discovery of disease -causing pathogens is an important activity in the field of medical science. Many viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, helminths ( parasitic worms ), and prions are identified as a confirmed or potential pathogen. In the United States, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program, begun in 1995, identified over a ...