Pathogenicity is the potential of a microbe to cause disease.

The actual severity

of the disease it can cause is measured in virulence. These are sometimes used
interchangeably, but, virulence is the term to describe the degree of
pathogenicity.

Pathogens cause disease by adhesion, colonization, invasion, immune response

inhibitors, and toxins. Virulence is determined by the microbe's ability to first
establish, itself in a host and to second, cause damage.

The ability of any bacteria to cause disease is usually described in terms of the
number of infecting bacteria, the route of entry into the body, the effects of the
host defense mechanisms, and other intrinsic characteristics of the bacteria known
as virulence factors. These virulence factors are typically proteins or other
molecules synthesized by protein enzymes.

Virulence factors are molecules produced by the pathogen to specifically influence

the host, allowing the pathogen to survive. These can be used in general life
processes, such as metabolism or cell wall structural componenets. It may be
something that is vital to the pathogen's ability to thrive in the host, but, must
also directly influence the host.

The six main gram-positive organisms that are typically pathogenic in humans are
Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Listeria, Bacillus, and
Clostridium. Virulence factors for Staphylococcus areus are hyaluronidase,
protease, coagulase, lipases, deoxyribonucleases and enterotoxins. Streptococcus
pneumoniae prevents the bacterium from being cleared from the lungs by the
phagocytic cells, leading to extra built up fluid in the lungs, which leads to
pneumonia.

Viruses attach themselves to hosts by special receptors. They have viral envelope
spikes that adhere to the cell wall of the hosts. HIV microbes have viral spikes
that adhere to white blood cell receptors. HIV microbes also can severely damage
or kill their host through toxins being released.

Many gram-negative microbes like Salmonella, Shigella, Neisseria meningitidis, and

E. coli produce endotoxins that can cause shock. In fact, most pathogenic bacteria
in humans are gram-negative organisms. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, E. coli and Shigella
all have special fimbriae that help them attach to host cell.

Many parasites, such as parasitic worms, mechanically adhere to the portal of

entry by suckers, hooks, and barbs.