BIOL 250 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Pattern Recognition Receptor, Microbiota, Interferon
Document Summary
Pathogen: a parasite capable of causing disease in a host. Host: any organism that harbors another organism. Infection: refers to the multiplication of any parasitic organism within or on the host"s body. Disease: a disturbance in the state of health wherein the body cannot carry out all its normal functions. Attenuation: the weakening of the disease-producing ability of the pathogen. Organisms that live on or in the body but do not cause disease. Two categories of organisms can be distinguished: 1. Resident microflora: comprise microbes that are always present on or in the human body: 2. Transient microflora: microbes that can be present under certain conditions in any of the locations where resident microflora are found. Human diseases are caused by infectious agents, structural or functional genetic defects, environmental factors, or any combination of these causes. Infectious diseases: caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and helminths. Noninfectious diseases: caused by any factor other than infectious organisms.
