Question

What is the pathogenicity of microorganisms?

Answer 1

Pathogen is a biological agent that causes disease in its host. They are also referred to as infectious agents. It is a microorganism such as viruses, bacterium, protozoan, prion, viroid, or fungus. A pathogen has the ability to produce toxins, immunosuppression the host, and cause disease in an organism.

Complete step by step answer:
Pathogenicity of microorganisms is referred to as the disease- causing ability of microorganisms. Microorganisms express their pathogenicity by means of their degree to cause disease in its host. The measure of pathogenicity is called virulence. Highly virulent pathogens are more likely to cause disease in a host.
- Exposure to a pathogen does not ensure that disease will occur, since a host might be able to protect itself via its immune system from the pathogen.
- Carriers play an important role in the spreading of the disease since they carry the pathogen.
- Invasiveness is the means by which microorganisms invade tissues. Pathogenicity of the microorganisms thus decides to what extent the microorganism would cause disease to the host. Toxigenesis is the ability to produce toxins and play a role in invasion.
- Pathogenic viruses can change hosts. Even the pathogenicity of a microorganism decides the extent to which it can change the host and cause disease in its host. Damage caused by a pathogen may be direct or indirect through the activity of the host immune system.
So, the correct answer is pathogenicity of microorganism is the ability of the microorganism to cause disease in its host.

Note: A microorganism can be virulent or avirulent depending on whether it can cause disease in its host. If a pathogen injures or infects its host, it can progressively cause more damage to the host. Pathogenicity is the degree to which a microorganism can cause disease in its host whereas virulence is the ability of a microorganism to infect its host.