How to Define Pathogenicity, Health, and Disease?

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Health Informatics
• Medical Modeling

Background:

• Increasing biomedical data necessitates standardized concepts for health and disease.
• Current understanding of pathogenicity, health, and disease lacks precise definitions.
• Imprecise language limits the utility of vast health and disease information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a systematic, population-based model for defining pathogenicity, health, and disease.
• To establish a unified framework for understanding the health-disease continuum.
• To enable advanced applications in clinical practice and research.

Main Methods:

• Development of a three-component model: extent, modulation, and severity.
• Defining the continuum of pathogenicity based on these components.
• Establishing a population-based approach for model implementation.

Main Results:

• A systematic model integrating extent, modulation, and severity to define pathogenicity.
• The model provides a continuum for health and disease states.
• The framework is population-based, allowing for broad applicability.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model offers a precise, systematic approach to health, disease, and pathogenicity.
• Implementation can facilitate personalized/precision medicine and evidence-based healthcare.
• Applications include improved diagnosis, patient stratification, prognosis, and phenotype-genotype correlation.