A person or other living animal, including birds and arthropods, that offers subsistence or lodging to an infectious agent under natural conditions. A transport host is a carrier in which the organism remains alive but does not undergo development.
A primary host is where a parasite reaches maturity or passes its sexual stage. A secondary host is where a parasite is in a larval or asexual stage.
References:
- David L. Heymann (editor). Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. APHA, 2008
