What term describes the ability of a pathogen to cause disease?

The term that describes the ability of a pathogen to cause disease is pathogenicity. This concept encompasses the mechanisms by which pathogens invade hosts, overcome host defenses, and ultimately cause disease. Pathogenicity refers to the inherent capacity of a microbe to lead to disease in a susceptible host, which involves a complex interplay of factors, including the ability of the organism to attach to host tissues, evade the immune system, and inflict damage.

While virulence relates to the degree of pathogenicity or how severe the disease caused by a pathogen can be, pathogenicity itself is about the potential for disease development. Infectivity indicates how easily a pathogen can establish itself in a host and cause infection, whereas immunogenicity refers to the ability of a pathogen to provoke an immune response in the host. Thus, pathogenicity is the most appropriate term for the ability of a pathogen to cause disease.