etiológico

Etiológico is an adjective related to etiology, the study of causes or origins of phenomena, especially diseases. In medicine and the life sciences, it denotes the causal basis of a condition and the factors or agents that produce it.

Etiological agents are entities that cause disease. They include infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, as well as non-biological causes like genetic mutations, hormonal imbalances, or environmental exposures. Etiological factors encompass a broader set of contributors—genetic predisposition, lifestyle, exposure to toxins, and social determinants—that together help explain why a condition occurs. The concept underpins etiological diagnosis, which seeks to identify the root cause rather than merely treating symptoms, and it guides etiological research aimed at prevention and targeted therapy.

Examples illustrate the range of etiologies. The etiological agent of tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Helicobacter pylori is a major etiologic factor for peptic ulcers, though ulcers can also arise from other causes such as NSAID use. Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases often have multifactorial etiologies involving genetics, diet, physical activity, and lifestyle. Some conditions are idiopathic, meaning their causes are unknown or not fully understood, reflecting the limits of current etiological knowledge.

Etymology traces back to Greek aitía, cause, and logia, study of. Beyond medicine, etiology refers to origins of events or phenomena in philosophy, anthropology, and the social sciences, where etiological explanations explore causal chains and underlying mechanisms.