Homo sapiens molecular nosetiology

HOMO SAPIENS MOLECULAR NOSETIOLOGY : the study of the causation of disease

The aetiological factor(s) for a given disease may be ...

... intrinsic (i.e. : genome alterations)

... extrinsic (i.e. : environmental causes)

occupational disease : one due to factors involved in one's employment, e.g., various forms of pneumoconiosis or dermatitis.

This classification is mainly used by epidemiologists in order to focus target(s) for primary prevention. Aetiology treats about the primary cause(s) but even every step in pathogenesis has its own cause(s).
From an epidemiological point of view the association between a factor "A" and a disease "B" may be :

artificial or non causal = "A" is associated (confusing factor) with the real aetiological factor(s) for "B"
indirect or secondary = "A" and "B" are both caused by a same aetiological factor
direct or causal = the prior presence of "A" (aetiological factor or cause) increase the risk for getting "B" then. More "A" increases "B" incidence. On the other hand when "A" is eliminated (by primary prevention or therapy (ex juvantibus criterion)), "B" incidence falls. "A" may be :

necessary...

...and sufficient (determining cause). It's a very rare condition : just a little diseases have a 100% penetrance (e.g. : Huntington's disease, some viral diseases)
... but not sufficient = coadjuvant or co-cause (if the concause has genetic bases the predisposing condition is called diathesis and the disease is often referred as idiopathic)

not necessary...

... but sufficient, i.e. more aetiological factors cause the same pathology
... nor sufficient or risk factor = the most common association in chronic-degenerative disorders

predisposing to the fall ill (e.g. : genotype, immunodepressions, ...)
rushing the disease development (e.g. : debilitating conditions, ...)
reenforcing the lasting or the gravity of the disease (e.g. : prolonged exposure to pathogens, ...)

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