nonvirulent

Lacking disease capability

Nonvirulent describes a pathogen or organism that lacks the ability to cause disease or harm.

A nonvirulent strain of bacteria or virus may be closely related to dangerous forms but cannot produce illness in a host.

Scientists often study nonvirulent versions of pathogens to understand how virulence develops or to create vaccines.

The researchers isolated a nonvirulent mutant of the virus for their experiments.

benign

benign

Not harmful or threatening

nonthreateningCausing no alarm
nonaggressiveNot inclined to fight
nonmalignantNot harmful or spreading

noncancerous · nonlethal · nonfatal · nondestructive · noninvasive · localized · contained · manageable · treatable · curable

nonpathogenic

noninfectious

Cannot pass to others

nontransmissibleCannot spread between hosts
sterileFree from microorganisms
cleanFree of soil

purified · sanitized · disinfected · decontaminated · safe · harmless · innocuous · benign · nontoxic · inert

attenuated

attenuated

Lessened in force

weakenedMade less capable
debilitatedMade weak or infirm
diminishedMade or became smaller

reduced · neutralized · defanged · disabled · impotent · ineffective · disarmed · inactivated · modified · tempered

dormant

latent

Present but inactive

dormantInactive but capable
quiescentInactive but capable
inactiveNot currently functioning

inert · resting · suspended · static · stagnant · torpid · sluggish · lethargic · passive · fallow

Opposites

pathogenic severity

nonvirulentvirulent

Extremely infectious or hostile

pathogenic · deadly · lethal · infectious · malignant

harmfulness/danger

nonvirulentvirulent

Extremely infectious or hostile

deadly · lethal · fatal · dangerous · harmful

Family

virus, viral, virulent, virulence, avirulent, virulency

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