If a pathogen can trigger an immune response and create memory, it possesses high what?

• A. Immunogenicity
• B. Infectivity
• C. Virulence
• D. Pathogenicity

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is how well a pathogen can provoke the adaptive immune system. Immunogenicity describes the capacity of a pathogen to trigger an immune response and to generate immunological memory. When a pathogen is immunogenic, it activates B cells and T cells, leading to the formation of memory cells that enable a faster, stronger response if the same pathogen is encountered again. This memory is a hallmark of adaptive immunity, which is why immunogenicity is the best fit for describing a pathogen that both elicits an immune response and creates memory.

Infectivity is about establishing infection and spreading, virulence about disease severity, and pathogenicity about causing disease. These aspects are related to how the organism interacts with hosts but do not specifically capture the ability to induce immune responses and memory, which is the focus here.