Pathogen

A biological agent that causes disease in a host. Pathogens include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Pathogenesis: The biological process by which an infection leads to disease. It links a pathogen’s properties to the disease it produces.
Bacterium: A single-celled organism without a membrane-bound nucleus. Bacteria are cellular pathogens, and some cause disease by invading or releasing toxins.
Diagnostic microbiology: The laboratory identification of disease-causing microorganisms in clinical samples. Identifying the pathogen can guide treatment and infection-control decisions.
Infectious disease: A disease caused by the invasion and multiplication of infectious agents in a host. Pathogens are the agents responsible for infectious diseases.
Infectious dose: The number of infectious agents needed to establish infection in a host. A pathogen’s dose helps determine whether exposure becomes infection.
Virus: An infectious agent that replicates inside cells using host molecular machinery. Viruses depend on host cells and are among the most numerous pathogen types.
Antimicrobial drug: A medicine that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Different pathogen groups require different antimicrobial approaches.
Epidemiology: The study of health conditions and their patterns, causes, and control in populations. Epidemiology tracks how pathogens spread and affect populations.
Virulence: The degree of damage or disease severity caused by a pathogen. Virulence distinguishes how severely different pathogens affect hosts.
Fungus: A eukaryotic organism that absorbs nutrients and includes yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. Fungi can infect humans, animals, and plants.

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