Mechanical transmission

Definition

Mechanical transmission is the process by which pathogens are transferred from one host to another via a vector, typically an insect, without undergoing any biological development inside the vector. The pathogen is carried on the surface or in the gut of the vector and transferred through physical contact.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Mechanical transmission does not involve any change or replication of the pathogen within the vector.
2. Examples of mechanical vectors include houseflies and cockroaches that can transfer pathogens from feces to food.
3. The process relies on simple physical transfer mechanisms such as contaminated appendages or regurgitation.
4. Mechanical transmission can rapidly spread diseases like dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera.
5. Unlike biological transmission, mechanical transmission involves no incubation period within the vector.

Review Questions

Related terms

Biological Transmission: The process by which a pathogen undergoes development or multiplication within a vector before being transmitted to a new host.

Vector:

An organism, often an insect, that transmits pathogens between hosts.

Fomite: An inanimate object that can transfer infectious agents between individuals.