Pathogenicity

Pathogenicity is the ability of an organism, a pathogen, to produce an infectious disease in another organism.

It is often used interchangeably with the term "virulence", although some authors prefer to reserve the latter term for descriptions of the relative degree of damage done by a pathogen. Pathogens are infectious agents that cause disease and include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and higher parasites. The agents responsible for the CJD and BSE are also pathogenic.

The term used to describe the capacity of microbes to cause disease. [Source: Talaro, Kathleen P. Foundations in Microbiology / Kathleen Park Talaro. - 6th edition. 2008]