Properties of virulence?

1. Infectivity: The ability of a pathogen to enter and establish itself in a host organism.

2. Pathogenicity: The ability of a pathogen to cause disease in a host organism.

3. Toxin production: Some pathogens produce toxins that can cause damage to host cells and tissues.

4. Invasiveness: The ability of a pathogen to invade and spread within the host organism.

5. Immune evasion: Some pathogens have mechanisms to evade or suppress the host immune response, allowing them to persist and cause disease.

6. Host specificity: Some pathogens are specific to certain host species or cell types.

7. Transmission: The ability of a pathogen to be transmitted from one host to another, either directly or through a vector.

8. Virulence factors: Specific molecules or proteins produced by a pathogen that contribute to its ability to cause disease.

9. Virulence genes: Genes within a pathogen's genome that encode for virulence factors and contribute to its pathogenicity.

10. Virulence evolution: The ability of pathogens to evolve and adapt to their host environment, leading to changes in their virulence over time.