Final answer:
The term pathogenic means disease-producing, and it is related to microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses that can cause diseases in a host organism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term pathogenic refers to something that is disease-producing. Pathogens are different types of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses, that cause diseases in their hosts. Infectious diseases are illnesses that result from the infection, presence, and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism. These agents can travel from one host to another, leading to the spread of diseases. Pathogens cause disease by invading host tissues, multiplying, and often releasing toxins that contribute to the disease symptoms.
For instance, antibiotics can combat bacterial infections since they target the bacteria causing the disease. Human immune systems have evolved to protect us from a variety of pathogens that we encounter in food, water, surfaces, and in the air. The germ theory of disease supports the idea that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific microorganisms within the body.