The Agent

- A substance or an element, living or non

living , the excessive presence or lack of
which is the immediate or proximal
cause of the disease
 The Agent

- Classified as:
1. Living – ex microbiological agents
2. Non-living:
3. Borderline Agents – Ex. Viruses,
rickettsiae
 The Agent

-2. Non-living:
A. Nutrients
B. Chemicals
C. Physical agents
D. Psychic Factors
E. Physiologic Factors
F. Genetic Factors

F. Genetic Factors
The Agent
Characteristics of Living Agents

1. Inherent Characteristics
1.1. Physical Characteristics; shape,
motility, ex ( cocci from bacteria)
1.2. Chemical Characteristics; reactions
to different chemicals or substances
The Agent
Characteristics of Living Agents

1. Inherent Characteristics
1.3. Antigenic Characteristic – humidity,
resistance,( ability to oppose the effect
of chemotheratpeutic or antibiotic
substances
The Agent
Characteristics of Living Agents
1. Inherent Characteristics
1.4. Biological Characteristics
1.4.1. Viability – ability of disease agent to
withstand adverse envieronment
1.4.2 . Growth requirement – availability of
appropriate nutrition, temperature, etc
1.4.3. Host Range – spectrum of animals or
arthropods that an agent can invade or infect
2. Host-related Properties of the Agent

2.1. infectivity - the ability of the agent to

lodge and multiply in the body of the
host
2.2. Pathogenecity – the ability of the
microbial agent to cause disease
2.3. Virulence – the ability of the microbial
agent to cause serious or severe illness
2. Host-related Properties of the Agent

2.4. Invasiveness – the ability of an

organism to penetrate into or grow
within the host away from the site of
inoculation
2.5. Toxicity – the ability of the organism
to produce toxin
2.6. Antigenecity – the ability of the
microbial organism to produce
antibodies
3. Characteristic of the Agent Related to
Environment
Living Agents of Disease may Require:
3.1. Reservoir of Infection – a habitat, living or
non-living in which the infectious agent lives
and multiplies and depends primarily for its
survival and from which it can be transferred
to an intermediate or susceptible host
Examples; man, animals, arthropods, plant soil
3. Characteristic of the Agent Related to
Environment
Living Agents of Disease may Require:
3.2. Source of Infection – a living or non-living
thing through which the agent passes through
immediately or directly to a susceptible host.

Examples; person, thing, object or substance

3. Characteristic of the Agent Related to
Environment
Living Agents of Disease may Require:
3.3. Mode of Transmission – a mechanism by
which an infectious agent is transported
from a reservoir or source to a susceptible
human host.
The modes of transmission are : by contact,
by means of a vehicle, by vector or by air-
born