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carrier

of disease
Also known as: vector

Quick Summary

A carrier of disease is an organism that harbors a pathogen and can transmit it to others, often without showing symptoms itself. This "inapparent infection" or "carrier state" is crucial for the spread of many communicable diseases.1

Insects frequently act as vectors, transmitting pathogens from one host to another. Examples include mosquitoes carrying malaria, fleas spreading plague, and tsetse flies transmitting sleeping sickness. Animals can also be carriers, with diseases like salmonellosis, leptospirosis, and rabies transmitted through direct contact or contaminated materials.23

Preventing disease transmission involves breaking the chain between the source of infection and a susceptible host. This can include vector control, such as eliminating mosquitoes, or rendering hosts unsusceptible through immunization.4

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