Virulence Is Context-Depended, Pathogen is a Status

So I was reading this article from Cell and its conclusion just hit me. We are so fixated on the idea of microbes as pathogens that we often forget the fact that virulence is context-dependent. "Pathogen" is really a status, not an inherent identity of a microbe. My friend might be your enemy—or vice versa—depending on the circumstances.

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(20)31449-5

This perspective is crucial for gaining new insights into microbial interactions and their effects.