Pathogenicity

Pathogenicity is a term meaning the ability of a certain type of microorganism, virus or parasite to cause harm to the body. Microorganisms and other pathogens have the ability to irritate, damage, or even destroy the structures of living organisms. This leads to the development of disease or death of the organism, including humans. More than 50% of the world's population is infected, and more and more people are now falling victim to more severe forms of the disease. A significant portion of all medical activity, especially in developing countries, is related to the treatment of diseases caused by pathogens.

There are a number of methods for determining the degree of pathogenicity of microorganisms. When assessing immunogenicity, not only the type of pathogen is taken into account, but also its properties. The main characteristics reflecting the ability of a pathogen to cause a particular pathological condition in a healthy host are:

* virulence (ability to cause infection); * toxicity (cause changes in vital systems); * reactogenicity (cause the manifestation of clinical symptoms).