Bacterial Pathogenicity

Definitions:

-Bacterial pathogenicity is an ability of bacteria to induce and develop infectious diseases in multi-cellular organisms (human, animals and plants) (2. 6).

-Virulence is a degree of pathogenicity measured by LD50/ID50 (highly virulent, weakly virulent and non-virulent strains) (2).

-Phenomenon of pathogenicity is the polyfunctional biological potency of germs that are realized by factors (determinants) of pathogenicity (2).

-Pathogenic factors (determinants) are the bio-molecules produced by pathogen and are responsible for interaction with the host tissue cells (2, 3).

-"Pathogenicity Islands" are the bacterial genome mobile elements that carry genes encoding the pathogenicity factors production (6).

Yurii V. Ezepchuk, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.

E-mail: ezepchuk@usa.net