Infection: Vital mode for human-pathogen interaction

Infection and immunity are intermittently used scientific terms where one deals with human- microbial interaction and the other involve mechanisms employed for eliminating the encountered pathogen. It is indeed an undeniable fact that infection and immunity engross host-microbe interface and their relationship bifurcates the microorganism as a parasite or saprophyte. Free living microbes relying on dead and decayed matter are saprophytes which have got little prominence in causing infectious diseases when
compared to parasites which try to multiply inside the host but there are some exceptions in saprophytes capable of causing clinical manifestations in human. Bacillus subtilis and Acinetobacter baumannii are some free living bacteria that are contagious. The organisms’ uses human body as a medium for its sustenance and reproduction and are commonly referred as pathogens because of its ability to amend the normal well being of an individual. In addition to bacteria, other groups of microbes like fungi, protozoa and viruses are also capable of causing contagious consequences in humans. Some infections are mild and are hardly notices while others can be life claiming

Author(s): Vasudevan Ranganathan

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