Which term describes microorganisms that cause disease?

Which term describes microorganisms that cause disease?

• A. Causative Agent
• B. Pathogens
• C. Chain of Infection
• D. Reservoir

Answer: (B)

Pathogens are microorganisms that cause disease. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, and their disease-causing ability comes from invading tissues, evading defenses, or producing toxins that disrupt normal body function. Not all microbes cause illness, but those that do are classified as pathogens. The term causative agent is related but broader, often referring to the specific cause of a disease and not limited to microbes. The chain of infection describes how diseases spread, not what those organisms are, and a reservoir is simply where a pathogen lives, not the organism itself.

Pathogens are microorganisms that cause disease. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, and their disease-causing ability comes from invading tissues, evading defenses, or producing toxins that disrupt normal body function. Not all microbes cause illness, but those that do are classified as pathogens. The term causative agent is related but broader, often referring to the specific cause of a disease and not limited to microbes. The chain of infection describes how diseases spread, not what those organisms are, and a reservoir is simply where a pathogen lives, not the organism itself.