Microbial Interactions & Microbial Ecology

Microbial Mechanisms of Pathogenicity

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Pathogenicity is the ability to produce disease in a host organism. Microbes express their pathogenicity by means of their virulence, a term which refers to the degree of pathogenicity of the microbe. Hence, the determinants of virulence of a pathogen are any of its genetic or biochemical or structural features that enable it to produce disease in a host.

The relationship between a host and a pathogen is dynamic, since each modifies the activities and functions of the other. The outcome of such a relationship depends on the virulence of the pathogen and the relative degree of resistance or susceptibility of the host, due mainly to the effectiveness of the host defence mechanisms. Natural or human-triggered changes in the environment might upset the natural balance between living organisms. These new environmental conditions may encourage pathogens, allowing them to multiply rapidly and increase the risk of exposing humans who share that environment. Infection can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact.