Edit page | Page history | Printable version

Definition

noun, plural: opportunistic pathogens

An infectious microorganism that is normally a commensal or does not harm its host but can cause disease when the host’s resistance is low.

Supplement

Examples of opportunistic pathogens are:

• Candida albicans - a causal agent of opportunistic oral and genital infections in human.
• Staphylococcus aureus - occur as commensal on human skin but may cause staph infections.
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa - most common cause of burn and external ear infections, and is the most frequent colonizer of medical devices (e.g.catheters).

See also: pathogen.