INFECTIOUS AGENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does infectious agent mean? 

• INFECTIOUS AGENT (noun)
  The noun INFECTIOUS AGENT has 1 sense:

1. an agent capable of producing infection

  Familiarity information: INFECTIOUS AGENT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INFECTIOUS AGENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An agent capable of producing infection

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

infectious agent; infective agent

Hypernyms ("infectious agent" is a kind of...):

agent (an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "infectious agent"):

virus ((virology) ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein)

pathogen (any disease-producing agent (especially a virus or bacterium or other microorganism))

 Context examples 

Use of this agent may enhance overall resistance to infectious agents and promote wound healing and tissue repair.

(Immutol, NCI Thesaurus)

A normal feature of responses to infectious agents that allows recognition of multiple antigenic targets, Epitope Spreading involves non-cross-reactive epitopes, distinct from the inducing epitope, becoming major targets of an ongoing immune response.

(Epitope Spreading, NCI Thesaurus)

Any exposure to a suspected or confirmed infectious agent.

(Contagion Contact, NCI Thesaurus)

Inflammation of the meninges of the brain and/or spinal cord caused by an infectious agent (viral, bacterial, or fungal).

(Infectious Meningitis, NCI Thesaurus)

The combined response of immune cells and signaling molecules at the site of inflammation induces swelling, activation of immune cells, and clearance of potential infectious agents.

(Local Acute Inflammatory Response Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Phagocytosis is the process of taking in relatively large particles by a cell, and is a central mechanism in the tissue remodeling, inflammation, and defense against infectious agents.

(Phagocytosis Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

The passage of a substance or infectious agent from the mother to the fetus or newborn.

(Maternal Transmission, NCI Thesaurus)

Some infectious agents, such as HIV, can survive in blood and infect the person receiving the blood transfusion.

(Blood Transfusion and Donation, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Health hazards at home, in the work place, or in nature (e.g., infectious agents, irritants, respiratory fibrotic agents, asphyxiants, allergens, metabolic poisons, physical agents, mutagens, teratogens, and carcinogens).

(Environmental Risk Factor, NCI Thesaurus)

Any vaccine created by reducing the virulence of the infectious agent but still keeping the agent viable (live).

(Attenuated Live Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)