Library / English Dictionary

PATHOGEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any disease-producing agent (especially a virus or bacterium or other microorganism)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("pathogen" is a kind of...):

micro-organism; microorganism (any organism of microscopic size)

infectious agent; infective agent (an agent capable of producing infection)

Derivation:

pathogenic (able to cause disease)

Credits

 Context examples: 

B. dentium is an opportunistic pathogen associated with tooth decay.

(Bifidobacterium dentium, NCI Thesaurus)

During colonization of the GI tract, the bacteria may form a protective intestinal barrier, thereby preventing attachment of potential pathogens.

(Beta-glucan/Lactobacillus casei/Bifidobacterium lactis-based Supplement, NCI Thesaurus)

C. curvus, formerly known as Wolinella curva, is a rare pathogen associated with cases of bloody and Brainerd's diarrhea.

(Campylobacter curvus, NCI Thesaurus)

C. fetus is an opportunistic microbe that causes bacteremia, thrombophlebitis, septicemia, and is a suspected pathogen in immunocompromised patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.

(Campylobacter fetus, NCI Thesaurus)

C. jejuni is the most common pathogen in the United States causing bacterial diarrhea and gastroenteritis and is also linked to Guillain Barre syndrome.

(Campylobacter jejuni, NCI Thesaurus)

This is in contrast to those vaccines produced by killing the pathogen (inactivated vaccine).

(Attenuated Live Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

"The research provides insights into how cacao trees defend themselves against pathogens — and may help more cacao end up in our chocolate instead of destroyed by fungal disease."

(New way to identify disease-resistant genes in chocolate-producing trees, National Science Foundation)

As a result, not much was known about how these plants defend themselves from pathogens or how plant defence strategies have evolved.

(Ancient defence strategy continues to protect plants from pathogens, University of Cambridge)

This agent is mainly used for ex vivo purposes, specifically for the inactivation of pathogens such as viruses, protozoa and bacteria in red blood cells (RBCs).

(Amustaline, NCI Thesaurus)

A. pervotii is an opportunist pathogen in immunocompromised individuals.

(Anaerococcus prevotii, NCI Thesaurus)