Pathogens

Question 1

What is a pathogen?

Answer 1

A pathogen is any microorganism that causes disease in another organism (e.g. in plants or animals)

Question 2

What are four examples of microorganisms that are pathogens?

Answer 2

Bacteria, Fungi, Protoctists and Viruses

Question 3

Why aren’t all species within bacterias, fungi, protoctists and viruses all pathogens?

Answer 3

Not all species within these groups (apart from the viruses) are pathogens, as many bacteria, fungi and protoctists are harmless and do not cause disease.

Question 4

Which microorganism has species that are all pathogenic and why?

Answer 4

All viruses are pathogenic as they can only exist by living inside the living cells of other organisms (or by using these cells to create more viruses).