avirulent
Lacking disease capability
Avirulent describes a pathogen that has lost or lacks the ability to cause disease.
The term appears in microbiology and vaccine development, where avirulent strains may be used to stimulate immunity without causing illness: The avirulent form of the virus proved ideal for the live vaccine.
Opposite of virulent.
Lessened in force
- vaccineDisease prevention injection
- immunogenicAble to provoke immunity
- noninfectiousCannot pass to others
- antigenicProvoking antibody production
innocuous · safe · nontoxic · nonlethal · nonirritating · nonpoisonous · nonallergenic · biocompatible
attenuated
Lessened in force
- vaccineDisease prevention injection
- immunogenicAble to provoke immunity
- noninfectiousCannot pass to others
antigenic · innocuous · safe · nontoxic · nonlethal · nonirritating · nonpoisonous · nonallergenic · biocompatible · probiotic
attenuated
Lessened in force
- diminishedMade or became smaller
- reducedMade less in amount
- mitigatedReduced in intensity
tempered · weakened · diluted · blunted · softened · tame · feeble · mild · moderate · subclinical
latent
Present but inactive
inactive · static · suspended · silent · passive · nonreactive · torpid · stagnant · lethargic · sluggish
avirulentvirulent
Extremely infectious or hostile
pathogenic · infectious · harmful · noxious · toxic
virus, viral, virulent, virulence, antiviral, virology, viremia, retrovirus, virologist