Infection and colonization are terms used in microbiology to describe an organism present in the human body. Infection is an invasion and multiplication of bacteria or a microorganism within the body that can lead to a disease. Infection can be transmitted in various methods such as airborne droplets (Covid, TB), direct contact and contamination of food and water (Hepatitis A), this microorganism can cause systemic symptoms to the host. Colonization its different from infection because the microorganism is already present inside the host without causing any harm but rather helping the body with digestion and also with absorption of nutrients.
During an infection, the microorganisms can cause damage to tissues, organs, or entire systems of the body. This can lead to symptoms such as fever, pain, inflammation, and other signs of illness (Admin-Infection, 2023). Infections are spread from person to person, poor hygiene and poor infection control practices play an important part in the transition of infections from host to host. Handwashing is the first simple solution to prevent infections. Another way of infection is through poorly perform medical procedures, such as not using aseptic techniques and dirty instruments. Methods of infection include direct contact by physical contact from an infected host, indirect contact by touching contaminated surfaces, airborne transmission like Covid and TB where the bacteria spread through the air and is breathable by the host. Vector -borne transmission are transmitted through bites by infected insects like mosquitos and Malaria, lastly by fecal- oral transmission in the case of Hepatitis A through contaminated food and water and poor hand hygiene. The spread of microorganisms and the development of disease or infection can be influenced by various factors, including the resistance of the microorganism, the susceptibility of the host, and the environment in which transmission occurs (Admin-Infection, 2023).
Factors influencing the course of an infection is healthy immune system that can fight of the infection, genetic factors that will allow for the infection to progress due to generic variations and past family medical history such as cancer, and early recognition in a prompt identification of the infection in order to treat it at its early stages. Contact with a pathogen is followed by variable courses of infectious disease, which are only partly explicable by classical risk factors. The susceptibility to infection is variable, as is the course of disease after infection. In this review, we discuss the extent to which this variation is due to genetic factors of the affected individual (the host) (Schmidt et al., 2022). A comprehensive understanding of host genetics can improve the care of patients with infectious diseases
References
Tkacs, N., Johnson, R., & Herrmann, L. (2022). Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology: Essentials for Clinical Practice. Springer Publishing Company.
Admin-Infection. (2023, December 7). Infection vs colonization – understanding the difference and its impact on health. Infection Cycle. https://infectioncycle.com/articles/infection-vs-colonization-understanding-the-difference-and-its-impact-on-health
Schmidt, A., Groh, A. M., Frick, J. S., Vehreschild, M. J. G. T., & Ludwig, K. U. (2022, February 25). Genetic predisposition and the variable course of infectious diseases. Deutsches Arzteblatt international. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9160423/