Heterovirulence
Short description
Heterovirulence refers to the simultaneous presence of subpopulations with varying levels of virulence within a single infection.
Detailed description
The virulence (disease-causing properties) of a microorganism (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites) describes its “infectiousness” or the degree to which a pathogen causes disease. The derived term “heterovirulence” describes the variability or differences in virulence among subpopulations of a pathogen in the context of an infectious disease.