What term is used to describe bacteria that cause disease?

The term that is used to describe bacteria that cause disease is "pathogens." Pathogens are microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, that can lead to illness or disease in their hosts. Understanding this term is critical in the field of medical and health sciences, particularly for professionals involved in infection prevention and control.

While "Gram positive" and "Gram negative" refer to the classification of bacteria based on their cell wall structure and how they respond to the Gram stain, they do not inherently indicate whether a bacterium is harmful or beneficial. Some Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria can be pathogens, while others can be part of the normal flora and are not harmful.

"Potentially infectious" is a broader term that can also refer to various types of microorganisms that could cause infection. However, it does not specifically denote the pathogenic capability of the organism as "pathogens" does. Therefore, "pathogens" is the most accurate term for bacteria specifically known to cause disease.