Pathogenicity - ability to cause disease by overcoming host defences

Virulence - degree of pathogenicity. How likely to cause disease.

Portals of entry - entry point of pathogen into the host
o
Mucous membranes, skin, parenteral (injection/abrasion, some
other way other than rectal or oral) or subcutaneous deposition (via
vector)
Mucous membrane
o
Entry via respiratory and gastrointestinal mucosa followed by
genitourinary tract and conjuctiva
o
Most microbes require cuts or abrasians to enter Some are adept at
penetrating undamaged mucosa
o
If microbes are not destroyed by host defences they cause disease
Skin
o
Most microbes require cuts or abrasions to enter
o
Others use hair follicles and sweat glands
o
Invaders such as hookworm larvae can bore through intact skin
o
Some fungi utilise keratin as a food source and infect the skin
Parenteral route
o
Deposition of microbes into tissues beneath skin and mucosal
barriers

Puinctures, insect bits, cuts, wounds, abrasions

Vertical transmission - mother to child

o
Preferred portal of entry

To cause disease a microorgansims must enter in a specific

way otherwise it will be subject to host defence mechanisms

Salmonella typhi cause disease if ingested

Virulent strains may have multiple portals of entry

o
Infectious does

Number of microbe required to enter to cause disease

More invading cells = greater chance of disease

Virulence of pathogens expressed as Lethal dose 50. Number

of organisms required to kill 50% of test host animals

Similarly for ID50