Terminology Related to Pathology

v Pathogen

Pathogen is the agent that can cause disease, e.g., virus, bacterium, fungus etc. 

v Pathogenicity

Pathogenicity is the potential capacity of a pathogen to cause disease. 

v Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis is the progressive development of a disease starting from the time of initiation to termination either recovery, invalidism or death.

v Pathognomonic lesion

Pathognomonic lesion is the specific lesion for a specific disease, e.g., Negri body formation for rabies.

v Lesions

Lesions are the changes of living tissues resulting from a disease. These are two types-

        i.            Microscopic lesions and

     ii.            Macroscopic or Gross lesions. 

v Sign

Sign is the manifestation of a disease that is observed by anyone other than the patient, e.g., blood pressure. It is objective.

v Symptom

Symptom is the manifestation of a disease that can be observed by the patient, e.g., pain. It is subjective. 

v Syndrome

Syndrome is a set of signs or symptoms that are correlated with each other and often with a specific disease, e.g., AIDS.

v Morbid change

Morbid change is the alteration of tissue resulting from a disease.

v Post-mortem change

Post-mortem change is the alteration of tissue after death.

v Ante-mortem examination

Ante-mortem examination is the examination before death.

v Post-mortem examination

Post-mortem examination is the examination after death.

v Autolysis

Autolysis is the destruction of a cell through the action of its own enzyme.

v Heterolysis

Heterolysis is the destruction of cells through the action of the enzyme of other cells. For example, lysozyme of neutrophils may destroy lymphocytes or bacteria.

v Health

Health may be defined as the state of normal physical, mental and social well-being.

v Disease

Disease may be defined as the state that impairs the normal functioning of the body.

Dr. Biplob Kumar Sarkar
DVM, MS in Pathology (BAU)