pathogénicité

Pathogénicité refers to the ability of a microorganism, such as a bacterium, virus, fungus, or protozoan, to cause disease in a host. It is a complex trait influenced by both the pathogen's characteristics and the host's susceptibility. Key factors contributing to pathogénicité include the pathogen's ability to invade host tissues, adhere to host cells, evade the host's immune system, multiply within the host, and produce toxins or other damaging substances. The degree of pathogénicité can vary greatly, leading to a spectrum from asymptomatic infection to severe illness and death. This ability is often determined by specific genes within the pathogen that encode virulence factors. Understanding pathogénicité is crucial for developing effective treatments and preventative measures against infectious diseases. It is important to distinguish pathogénicité from infectivity, which is the ability of a pathogen to establish an infection in a host, regardless of whether it causes disease.