∞ generated and posted on 2022.01.23 ∞
Formal means of causative association of specific infectious etiologies with specific diseases.
| Koch's Postulates is a multi-step procedure that involves the well-controlled application of a potentially pathogenic microorganism to otherwise healthy organisms (hosts) to determine whether in fact the potential pathogen is the cause of a specific infectious disease. |
Koch's Postulates involve the following steps:
(1) A diseased organisms is observed and a potential pathogen is isolated from it.
(2) That isolate is grown up in pure culture and characterized.
(3) A healthy organism is then exposed to the potential pathogen.
(4) If the healthy organism becomes equivalently sick as the first, then again the potential pathogen is isolated and compared with the original.
(5) If the two isolates are comparable, and are not similarly associated with otherwise healthy organisms, then Koch's Postulates is deemed satisfied and the potential pathogen accepted as the disease's etiology (that is, cause).