2007-03-13 07:30:55 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
A pathogen or infectious agent is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. The term is most often used for agents that disrupt the normal physiology of a multicellular animal or plant. However, pathogens can infect unicellular organisms from all of the biological kingdoms. The term pathogen is derived from the Greek παθογένεια, "that which produces suffering." There are several substrates and pathways where by pathogens can invade a host; the principal pathways have different episodic time frames, but soil contamination has the longest or most persistent potential for harboring a pathogen.
The human body contains many natural defenses against some of the common pathogens (such as Pneumocystis) in the form of the human immune system and by some "helpful" bacteria present in the human body's normal flora. However, if the immune system or "good" bacteria is damaged in any way (such as by chemotherapy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or antibiotics being taken to kill other pathogens), pathogenic bacteria that were being held at bay can proliferate and cause harm to the host. Such cases are called opportunistic infections.
Some pathogens (such as the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which may have caused the Black Plague, and the Variola virus) have been found to be responsible for massive amounts of casualties and have had numerous effects on afflicted groups. Of particular note in modern times is HIV, which is known to have infected several million humans globally, as well as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Influenza virus. Today, while many medical advances have been made to safeguard against infection by pathogens, through the use of vaccination, antibiotics, and fungicide, pathogens continue to threaten human life. Social advances such as food safety, hygiene, and water treatment have reduced the threat from some pathogens.
2007-03-13 07:41:10 · answer #1 · answered by Bacti 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What Is A Pathogen
2016-10-02 03:52:36 · answer #2 · answered by sather 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A pathogen is any agent that can cause disease. The word pathos means suffering, as we do, when full of toxic substances and foreign organisms. A pathologist studies the origin and nature of disease as well as the changes that occur in the body as a result of the disease. Many diseases come from unseen parasites.
Also:
Wikipedia is not always accurate because anyone can go in and edit the information in that website. But there also is some good information in it also.
2007-03-13 08:19:40 · answer #3 · answered by riri4u 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pathogen is an organism which causes diseases like- Salmonella typhi causes thphoid, Shigella causes dysentry, etc.
2007-03-13 09:18:18 · answer #4 · answered by drishti 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a pathogen is literally anything harmful to life. what we refer to as pathogens are generally bacteria, viruses, and parasites of different varieties that cause illness in people.
2007-03-13 07:34:57 · answer #5 · answered by yertle777 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to answers.com type pathogen at search of site you will find all the details.
2007-03-13 07:36:52 · answer #6 · answered by Richard J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is an agent that causes disease and illness
2007-03-13 07:41:09 · answer #7 · answered by Punkie Brewster 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What causes a disease.
2007-03-13 07:33:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
see below
2007-03-13 07:34:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋