Difference Between Organ Specific and Tissue Specific Manifestations

The key difference between organ specific and tissue specific manifestations is that in organ specific manifestation, the microbes affect the entire organ, while in tissue specific manifestation, the microbes affect the entire tissue.

There are many tissues in our body. The tissues collectively form the organs, the physiological system of an individual. These organs together make up the organ systems and carry out specific functions of the body. Organ specific and tissue specific manifestations are types of disease manifestations. Manifestations of any disease will vary based on the tissue or organ the microbe is targeting. Therefore, microbes can travel inside a body and move to different places such as organ or tissues. However, these microbes do not reach the same organ or tissue. The point of entry of the microbes forms the basis of the above selection. For instance, if the entry is through the nose, microbes can probably go to the lungs. If the entry is through the mouth, microbes can likely go to the gut.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Organ Specific Manifestations
3. What are Tissue Specific Manifestations
4. Similarities Between Organ Specific and Tissue Specific Manifestations
5. Side by Side Comparison – Organ Specific vs Tissue Specific Manifestations in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What are Organ Specific Manifestations?

Organ specific manifestations are a type of diseases in which a pathogen infects a specific organ. The microbes that enter the body travel to specific organs and multiply in there. Different microbes multiply in different parts of the body. For example, Mycobacterium tuberculosis usually enters the body through our nose and migrates to the lungs. It causes tuberculosis. A person suffering from tuberculosis has several symptoms such as cough, fever, breathlessness and blood sputum, etc., due to the multiplication of Mycobacterium in the lungs. Salmonella enters via the mouth (through consumption of contaminated food or water) and travels to the gut lining. Most people with Salmonella infection have diarrhoea, fever, and stomach cramps.

Similarly, the virus causing Japanese encephalitis (brain fever) will enter through a mosquito bite and infects the brain. Furthermore, the malarial parasite enters the liver and spreads to red blood cells. Therefore, different microbes have different targets in the body. COVID-19 virus is another good example of organ-specific manifestation. The SARS-CoV-2 virus primarily affects the lower respiratory tract while it enters the body through air droplets. Lung involvement is the most serious manifestation, ranging from mild pneumonia to hypoxia. Critical diseases are associated with shock, respiratory failure, and multiorgan failure. If the target organ is known, a slight disturbance in the normal function of that area indicates the onset of a particular disease.

What are Tissue Specific Manifestations?

Tissue-specific manifestations refer to a type of disease in which the pathogen infects a specific tissue of an individual. The entire tissue is affected by the microbes. Microorganisms go into tissues and harm them. The resistant immune system enlists disease-causing microorganisms and destroys them. The immune system sends many cells to the affected tissue. We call this process inflammation. We can also observe local effects such as swelling, pain or fever. When the body no longer attempts to fight off, serious complications may arise. The severity of the disease depends on the number of microorganisms.

When a microorganism affects a certain cell or a tissue type in a specific sickness, it gives tissue-explicit indication. For instance, irritation happens due to the breakdown of certain synthetics such as histamine and 5’-hydroxytryptamine from the harmed tissue. These synthetics draw in the blood causing the measure of blood and temperature to increase in the affected area. The resulting growth of affected territory is known as irritation.

What are the Similarities Between Organ Specific and Tissue Specific Manifestations?

• They are types of disease manifestations.
• Microbes are involved in both pathways.
• Specific symptoms occur in both pathways.
• Both pathways damage the human body.

What is the Difference Between Organ Specific and Tissue Specific Manifestations?

When microbes affect the entire organ such as the lung, kidney, and brain, it is known as organ specific manifestation. When the entire tissue is affected by microbes, it is called a tissue specific manifestation. So, this is the key difference between organ specific and tissue specific manifestations. Moreover, in organ specific manifestations, organ specific symptoms such as breathlessness, jaundice and headache, etc can be observed while in tissue specific manifestations, tissue specific symptoms such as swelling, pain, irritation and fever, etc, can be observed. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causing tuberculosis and Salmonella causing typhoid are two examples of organ specific manifestations. HIV causing AIDS that damages the immune system severely is an example of tissue specific manifestation.

The below infographic shows the differences between organ specific and tissue specific manifestations in tabular form.

Summary – Organ Specific vs Tissue Specific Manifestations

Organ specific and tissue specific manifestations depend on the target organ or tissue which the microbes target after entry. Organ specific manifestations refer to the diseases in which the microbes affect the entire organ while tissue specific manifestations refer to the diseases in which the microbes affect the entire tissue. Thus, this is the key difference between organ specific and tissue specific manifestations.

Reference:

1. “Explore Organ Specific And Tissue Specific Manifestations.” BYJU’S, 10 Aug. 2020, Available here.
2. “What Are Organ Specific and Tissues Specific Manifestations?” Doubtnut, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “4844592” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Immune response” By Nason vassiliev – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia