Host (biology)

Host (biology)

A host in biology is an organism that harbors a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensal symbiont, typically providing nourishment and shelter. In parasitism, the host organism is harmed by the relationship, whereas in mutualism and commensalism, the host organism benefits.

Types of Hosts

There are three types of hosts in biology: definitive, intermediate, and accidental.

Definitive Host

A definitive host is an organism that supports the adult or sexually reproductive form of a parasite. In many cases, the definitive host is a vertebrate animal.

Intermediate Host

An intermediate host is an organism that supports the immature or non-reproductive forms of a parasite. Intermediate hosts are usually required in the life cycle of a parasite.

Accidental Host

An accidental host or a dead-end host or incidental host is a host that generally does not allow transmission to the definitive host, thereby preventing the parasite from completing its development.

Host Range

Host range is the collection of hosts that an organism can use as a partner. In the case of human parasites, the host range influences the epidemiology and evolution of the parasite.

Host-Parasite Interactions

Host-parasite interaction is a relationship between two species, where one species, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. This interaction can lead to changes in the population dynamics of both the host and the parasite species.

See Also

• Parasitism
• Symbiosis
• Mutualism (biology)
• Commensalism

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