What term describes the dilution or weakening of a microorganism's virulence?

What term describes the dilution or weakening of a microorganism's virulence?

• A. Vaccine
• B. Attenuation
• C. Inoculation
• D. Virulence

Answer: (B)

Attenuation describes the reduction in a microorganism’s virulence, usually achieved by growing it under conditions or through passages that select for less harmful traits. The result is a weakened organism that can still provoke an immune response, which is the basis for live attenuated vaccines. This is different from a vaccine itself, which is the product used to immunize; inoculation, which is the act of introducing a microorganism into a person; and virulence, which is the measure of how harmful a pathogen can be.

Attenuation describes the reduction in a microorganism’s virulence, usually achieved by growing it under conditions or through passages that select for less harmful traits. The result is a weakened organism that can still provoke an immune response, which is the basis for live attenuated vaccines. This is different from a vaccine itself, which is the product used to immunize; inoculation, which is the act of introducing a microorganism into a person; and virulence, which is the measure of how harmful a pathogen can be.