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.