pathology

As a field pathology is the study of the effects of pathogens, or disease causing organisms. It includes or is closely related to:

• virology: the study of viruses, most of which are pathogens
• microbiology: the study of micro-organisms, many of which are pathogens
• parasitology: the study of parasites, some of which are pathogens
• immunology: the study of the immune system, and how it responds to pathogens
• plant pathology: a seperate and very different field from normal mammalian pathology, as plants have very different immune systems

As you can see it is a vey large field, and there is a large overlap with other fields of biology and medicine, so most pathology research is refered to by its subdiscipline.

Pathologists are often found in hospitals as they are important for the diagnosis of disease, as they can examine tissue samples and are proficient at identifying a disease from how it affects different tissues. The way a disease affects the host is called the pathology of the disease.

Like many of the biological sciences pathology has expanded greatly over the the last 70 years, as invention of more and more advanced technologies such as the electron microscope and radioactive tracing enabled pathologists to see the actions of pathogens in much greater detail. In the last 10 years, the increasing number of antibiotic resistant micro-organisms has lead to an even greater need for pathology research to discover new antibiotics.

Pa*thol"o*gy (-j&ybreve;), n.; pl. Pathologies (-jiz). [Gr. pa`qos a suffering, disease + -logy: cf. F. pathologie.] (Med.)

The science which treats of diseases, their nature, causes, progress, symptoms, etc.

⇒ Pathology is general or special, according as it treats of disease or morbid processes in general, or of particular diseases; it is also subdivided into internal and external, or medical and surgical pathology. Its departments are nosology, ætiology, morbid anatomy, symptomatology, and therapeutics, which treat respectively of the classification, causation, organic changes, symptoms, and cure of diseases.

Celluar pathology, a theory that gives prominence to the vital action of cells in the healthy and diseased function of the body. Virchow.

© Webster 1913

Pa*thol"o*gy, n. (Med.)

The condition of an organ, tissue, or fluid produced by disease.

© Webster 1913