The organism or individual attacked by the infecting agent is called the ______?

The organism or individual attacked by the infecting agent is called the ______?

• A. Host
• B. Vector
• C. Reservoir
• D. Carrier

Answer: (A)

This asks who is affected by an infection. The organism or person that is attacked by the infecting agent is called the host. The pathogen lives in or on the host, producing disease or illness. Other terms describe different roles in transmission: a vector is an organism that carries and transmits the pathogen (like a mosquito), a reservoir is a source where the pathogen can persist in the environment or in animals between hosts, and a carrier is someone who harbors the pathogen and can spread it without necessarily showing symptoms. So the direct recipient of the infection is the host, making it the correct term.

This asks who is affected by an infection. The organism or person that is attacked by the infecting agent is called the host. The pathogen lives in or on the host, producing disease or illness. Other terms describe different roles in transmission: a vector is an organism that carries and transmits the pathogen (like a mosquito), a reservoir is a source where the pathogen can persist in the environment or in animals between hosts, and a carrier is someone who harbors the pathogen and can spread it without necessarily showing symptoms. So the direct recipient of the infection is the host, making it the correct term.