What does pathogen mean?
A pathogen is usually defined as a microorganism that causes, or can cause, disease. We have defined a pathogen as a microbe that can cause damage in a host.
What are the smallest kinds of pathogens?
Viruses are the smallest common pathogen. They are so small in fact that many of them actually infect bacteria. They are different from other pathogens because they cannot reproduce on their own.
What is a condition that happens when pathogens enter the body multiply and cause harm?
An infection is a condition that occurs when pathogens enter the body, multiply, and damage cells.
What are the names of the four disease causing pathogens?
Pathogen types. There are different types of pathogens, but we’re going to focus on the four most common types: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
Which is most often used to destroy bacteria?
Sterilization: the removal or destruction of all living microorganisms. Heating is the most common method used for killing microbes, including the most resistant forms, such as endospores.
Why do viruses make us sick?
How the immune system reacts to viruses. The immune system reacts to the injury of these bodily cells by revving up, causing symptoms such as fever and chills. While we sometimes worry about running a fever, an elevated temperature generally is considered a protective response that works to destroy invasive microbes.
What is the state of being protected against a particular disease?
immunity – the state of being protected against a particular disease.
Do viruses get into the bloodstream?
Viremia is the medical term for when viruses enter the bloodstream. Viruses are parasitic, meaning they rely on an outside host for their survival and reproduction. Some viruses can enter the bloodstream, leading to viremia. Viruses are minuscule — 45,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
