VMC 211: General Veterinary Microbiology (1+1)

SOURCES OF INFECTION

Sources of infection are animal and inanimate  in nature.

Animal sources

• Normal flora
• Animals in incubation period -Animals in incubation period may excrete the pathogen.
• Animals with overt disease.
• Convalescent carrier animals – In these animals shedding of the pathogen occurs for varying periods after clinical recovery. The period may vary from weeks to months.
• Contact carrier or subclinical infections – They acquire pathogenic organisms from other animals with infectious disease without contracting the disease themselves. Such animals are called as contact or subclinical carriers. The carrier state may be temporary for a few days or lasting for months.

Inanimate sources (fomites)

• Contaminated utensils, feed and water troughs and vehicles