5. Microbial Pathogens Flashcards
Pathogens
Disease causing organism
Pathogenicity
The ability of a pathogen to cause disease (inflict damage on the host)
Virulence
Measure of pathogenicity
Opportunistic pathogen
Causes disease only in the absence of normal host resistance / immune system
Colonisation
Situation in which a microbe is established and growing in a host, whether or not the host is harmed
Infection
Situation in which a pathogen is established and growing in a host in a site where it is normally absent, whether or not the host is harmed.
Disease
Damage or injury to host impairing normal host function. Damage can be caused by a pathogen and/or host response to infection.
Zoonotic Diseases
Infectious diseases of animals can be transferred to humans
Contagious
Pathogen can be spread from one animal or human to another
Toxicity
toxin effects are local or synthetic
Invasiveness
further growth at original and distant sites
Formites
Objects or materials which are likely to carry infection, such as clothes, utensils, and funiture
Conjunctiva
mucous membrane covering eyeball and lining of eyelid
Skin
largest organ of the body (largest surface), forms effective barrier for most microorganisms.
- > dedicated skin flora (skin microbiome)
- > protection against ‘alien’ microorganisms
Virulence factors
Molecules produced by pathogens that contribute to pathogenicity (in particular colonization of a niche in the host)
