Host range

Host range is the set of species or cell types that a pathogen can infect. It can depend on host entry, replication, and immune-evasion requirements.

Tropism: The tendency of a pathogen or cell to infect or affect particular tissues, cell types, or hosts. Tropism describes the target preferences that make up a pathogen’s host range.
Zoonosis: An infectious disease that is naturally transmitted between animals and humans. Cross-species transmission occurs when a pathogen’s host range includes humans and an animal host.
Host specificity: The degree to which an organism depends on or infects particular host species. Specificity describes restriction or preference, while host range names the hosts that are susceptible.
HIV: A retrovirus that infects immune cells, especially CD4 T lymphocytes, and can cause AIDS. HIV illustrates a restricted human-cell range shaped by entry-receptor requirements.
Predicting zoonotic emergence: The effort to identify animal pathogens likely to infect humans and cause emerging disease. A potential human host range does not reveal which pathogens will actually emerge.
Receptor tropism: Preference for cells bearing particular receptors that enable pathogen attachment or entry. Receptor compatibility often determines which host cells a pathogen can enter.
Spillover infection: An infection that passes from a reservoir population into a new host population. Spillover marks a host-range crossing with potential public-health consequences.
Tissue tropism: The preference of a pathogen for particular tissues within a host organism. Tissue tropism narrows targets within a host, rather than listing host species.
Influenza A virus: An influenza virus that infects humans and many other animal species. Its broad but variable host range enables animal reservoirs and occasional cross-species infections.
Pathogen discovery: The identification and characterization of infectious agents in hosts and environments. Undetected infections can conceal a pathogen’s true host range.

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