pathogenic

Thân thiện

Pathogenic bacteria can be found in contaminated water.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Capable of causing disease: Describes microorganisms, agents, or substances that can produce illness or infection in a host organism.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The laboratory identified the bacteria as highly pathogenic.
  • Not all fungi are pathogenic to humans.
  • Researchers study how pathogenic viruses enter cells.

Advanced Usage

• "Pathogenic potential": Refers to the inherent capability of a microorganism to cause disease.
  • Scientists are assessing the new strain's pathogenic potential.
• "Pathogenic mechanism": Describes the specific biological process by which a pathogen causes disease.
  • Understanding the pathogenic mechanism is key to developing a treatment.

Variants and Related Words

• Pathogenicity (noun): The quality or state of being pathogenic; the disease-producing capacity of a microorganism.
  • The pathogenicity of the organism was confirmed in animal models.
• Nonpathogenic (adjective): Not capable of causing disease.
  • Many nonpathogenic bacteria live harmlessly in our gut.

Synonyms

• Infective: Capable of causing infection.
• Virulent: Extremely severe or harmful in its effects; often used interchangeably with highly pathogenic.
• Disease-causing: A more general descriptive term.

Related Phrases

• Pathogenic organism: A specific living agent that causes disease.
  • Strict protocols are in place to contain any pathogenic organism.
• Pathogenic microbe: A microscopic pathogenic organism, such as a bacterium or virus.
  • Water treatment aims to remove all pathogenic microbes.

Notes on Meaning

The term is primarily used in medical, microbiological, and public health contexts. It describes a property or characteristic of an agent, not the disease state itself. The focus is on the potential or capability to cause disease.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. able to cause disease
   • infective agents
   • pathogenic bacteria

Từ đồng nghĩa

• infective
• morbific