infectivity
Pathogen transmission capacity
Infectivity is the ability of a pathogen to establish infection in a host.
In epidemiology, it measures how readily a disease agent enters and multiplies in the body: The variant's high infectivity drove rapid spread through the population.
Infectivity differs from virulence—a pathogen can be highly infectious but cause mild illness, or vice versa.
Capacity to cause disease
- pathogenicityAbility to cause illness
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- parasiteOne exploiting a host
fungus · prion · microbe · pathogen · host · tropism · receptor · mutation
Capacity to spread
- communicabilityAbility to spread
- contagiousnessCapacity to spread infection
- spreadTo distribute widely
- propagationAct of spreading widely
dissemination · shedding · exposure · contact · droplet · aerosol · vector · carrier
Rate of occurrence
- prevalenceState of being widespread
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
endemic · morbidity · mortality · surveillance · cluster · epicenter · quarantine · containment
AIDS-causing retrovirus
- AIDSImmune deficiency syndrome
- herpesChronic blister-causing virus
- syphilisSpirochete-caused venereal infection
- HPVCommon sexually transmitted virus
gonorrhea · chlamydia · hepatitis B · trichomoniasis · viral load · undetectable · PrEP · sexual transmission
Liability to influence
- immunityProtected from harm
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- antibodiesProteins targeting pathogens
- vaccinationAdministered immunity booster
immunocompromised · innate immunity · neutralization · protection · vulnerability · colonization
virulence
Capacity to cause disease
- pathogenicityAbility to cause illness
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
parasite · fungus · prion · microbe · pathogen · host · tropism · receptor · mutation · strain
transmissibility
Capacity to spread
- communicabilityAbility to spread
- contagiousnessCapacity to spread infection
- spreadTo distribute widely
propagation · dissemination · shedding · exposure · contact · droplet · aerosol · vector · carrier · inoculum
incidence
Rate of occurrence
- prevalenceState of being widespread
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
pandemic · endemic · morbidity · mortality · surveillance · cluster · epicenter · quarantine · containment · public health
HIV
AIDS-causing retrovirus
- AIDSImmune deficiency syndrome
- herpesChronic blister-causing virus
- syphilisSpirochete-caused venereal infection
HPV · gonorrhea · chlamydia · hepatitis B · trichomoniasis · viral load · undetectable · PrEP · sexual transmission · condom
susceptibility
Liability to influence
- immunityProtected from harm
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- antibodiesProteins targeting pathogens
vaccination · immunocompromised · innate immunity · neutralization · protection · vulnerability · colonization
- pathogenicityvirulence, transmissibility, pathogenicity, lethality, invasiveness
- health statisticsmortality rate, prevalence, death rate, case fatality rate, life expectancy
infectivityinactivation
Causing to cease function
sterility · attenuation · immunity · resistance · dormancy
infectivityimmunity
Protected from harm
resistance · refractoriness · imperviousness · protection · immunocompetence
infect, infection, disinfect, infected, infectious, uninfected, disinfection, infective, reinfection