Virulence

Virulence is defined by the ability of a microorganism to cause disease in the host. Food can carry microorganisms that are virulent and are able to cause disease in the individuals who consume the food. Microorganisms possess a number of different virulence mechanisms that help to evade host defenses, enter host cells, and disable or lyse the host cells. The consumer of the food, in turn, is protected by a number of components in the body including mucosal immunity. Virulence mechanisms continue to evolve and be transferred among different microorganisms through a process known as lateral or horizontal gene transfer.