A pathogen is a biological agent, bacterium, virus, fungus, protozoan or other microorganism, capable of causing disease in a host. Pathogens vary in transmission route, virulence mechanisms and host range, spreading through person-to-person contact, contaminated food and water, air, vectors or animal reservoirs, an…
A pathogen is a biological agent, bacterium, virus, fungus, protozoan or other microorganism, capable of causing disease in a host. Pathogens vary in transmission route, virulence mechanisms and host range, spreading through person-to-person contact, contaminated food and water, air, vectors or animal reservoirs, and their study spans microbiology, virology, parasitology, immunology and public health. Understanding pathogen biology underpins diagnosis, surveillance, antimicrobial therapy, vaccine development and the control of antimicrobial resistance and emerging infections. Research relevant to this area includes management of fungal plant pathogens such as Sclerotium rolfsii, Fusarium solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum through biocontrol and integrated approaches; the causative agent and epidemiology of the COVID-19 pandemic, including neutralising-antibody convalescent plasma and vaccine development; characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including a candidate imaging agent; faecal shedding, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation by Salmonella Typhi in typhoid carriers; mathematical modelling of typhoid fever transmission dynamics and intervention impact; and analysis of host alveolar macrophage proteome in relation to surfactant proteins. Studies of vulvovaginitis as a microbial risk factor further illustrate host-pathogen interaction. Across plant, animal and human contexts, this work characterises how pathogens cause, spread and resist treatment of disease, informing biocontrol, clinical management, surveillance and the design of diagnostic and preventive strategies.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 64 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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