Health Care

Disease Reservoirs

Animate or inanimate sources which normally harbor disease-causing organisms and thus serve as potential sources of disease outbreaks. Reservoirs are distinguished from vectors (DISEASE VECTORS) and carriers, which are agents of disease transmission rather than continuing sources of potential disease outbreaks. Humans may serve both as disease reservoirs and carriers.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Animate or inanimate sources which normally harbor disease-causing organisms and thus serve as potential sources of disease outbreaks. Reservoirs are distinguished from vectors (DISEASE VECTORS) and carriers, which are agents of disease transmission rather than continuing sources of potential disease outbreaks. Humans may serve both as disease reservoirs and carriers.

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Synonyms

14 entry terms
  • Disease Reservoir
  • Infectious Disease Reservoirs
  • Reservoir, Disease
  • Human Disease Reservoirs
  • Infectious Disease Reservoir
  • Reservoirs of Infection
  • Disease Reservoir, Human
  • Disease Reservoir, Infectious
  • Disease Reservoirs, Human
  • Human Disease Reservoir
  • Infection Reservoir
  • Infection Reservoirs
  • Reservoir, Infectious Disease
  • Reservoirs, Human Disease

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Aspects Covered

6 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings classification, microbiology, parasitology, statistics & numerical data, veterinary, virology.

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Indexing Annotation

differentiate from DISEASE VECTORS: reservoirs can be animate or inanimate (like swamps, housedust, etc.)

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History Note

67(65)

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NLM Classification

WA 106

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Disease Reservoirs. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D004197. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D004197
  2. Disease Reservoirs. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_reservoir
  3. Disease Reservoirs. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1361531