Which term describes the path by which an agent leaves the host?

Which term describes the path by which an agent leaves the host?

• A. Portal of exit
• B. Reservoir
• C. Portal of entry
• D. Transmission

Answer: (A)

When considering how an infection spreads, the exit route from the infected person is the portal of exit. This term describes the path by which the agent leaves the host, such as respiratory droplets leaving during coughing or sneezing, blood or pus exiting through a wound, or pathogens shed in stool or urine. This exit step is what enables the organism to reach a new host, after which it may encounter the portal of entry in the next host and be transmitted through the chosen transmission pathway. In contrast, the reservoir is where the agent normally lives and multiplies, the portal of entry is how it enters a new person, and transmission refers to how the agent moves from one host or reservoir to another.

When considering how an infection spreads, the exit route from the infected person is the portal of exit. This term describes the path by which the agent leaves the host, such as respiratory droplets leaving during coughing or sneezing, blood or pus exiting through a wound, or pathogens shed in stool or urine. This exit step is what enables the organism to reach a new host, after which it may encounter the portal of entry in the next host and be transmitted through the chosen transmission pathway. In contrast, the reservoir is where the agent normally lives and multiplies, the portal of entry is how it enters a new person, and transmission refers to how the agent moves from one host or reservoir to another.