Question

What is meant by the incubation period of a pathogen?

(a) The period between exposure to an infection and the appearance of the first symptoms

(b) The period between the appearance of first symptoms until the death of the pathogen

(c) The period between exposure of a pathogen to the death of the pathogen

(d) The period between the infection and death of an organism

The question was posed to me during an interview.

My query is from Venereal Diseases in Humans-2 in chapter Human Health and Disease of Biology – Class 12

Answer 1

The correct answer is (a) The period between exposure to an infection and the appearance of the first symptoms

To explain: Incubation period means the period between exposure to an infection and the appearance of the first symptoms. Depending on the disease, the person may or may not be contagious during the incubation period.