Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing 'source of infection' depends on context: medical/epidemiological, everyday conversation, or metaphorical use. The most common term is 感染源 (kansen-gen), but alternatives exist for specific situations.
The direct origin or cause of an infection in a clinical or public health context.
The standard term for 'source of infection' in medical and epidemiological contexts. It refers to the person, animal, object, or substance from which an infectious agent passes to a host.
It is important to identify the source of infection.
The source of infection for this disease is still unknown.
Literally 'route of infection', this refers to the pathway or means by which an infection spreads. It is often used when discussing how an infection was transmitted rather than the original source.
We are investigating the route of infection.
A technical term meaning 'focus of infection' or 'nidus', used in pathology to describe a localized site where an infectious agent multiplies.
Removal of the focus of infection is necessary.
The origin or cause of an infection in casual conversation or non-specialist writing.
A common, slightly informal way to say 'source of infection'. もと means 'origin' or 'source'. Suitable for everyday speech.
Hands can become a source of infection.
That food was the source of the infection.
Literally 'cause of infection'. This is a straightforward and widely understood phrase, though slightly less specific than 感染源.
A person who is the source of an infection, often in the context of disease transmission.
Means 'infected person'. While not a direct translation of 'source', it is often used when the source is a person. In context, it can imply the person from whom others got infected.
Avoid contact with infected individuals (sources of infection).
Refers to a 'carrier' – a person who harbors a pathogen without necessarily showing symptoms and can be a source of infection.
感染源 (source of infection) refers to the origin, such as a contaminated object or person. 感染経路 (route of infection) refers to the pathway, like airborne or contact transmission. Use 感染源 when you mean the starting point, and 感染経路 when you mean the method of spread.
The source of infection was raw meat, but the route of infection was oral transmission.
Directly translating 'source' as ソース or 源 (みなもと) without context can sound unnatural. Stick to the compound 感染源 or the phrase 感染のもと for natural Japanese.
We identified the cause of the infection.
彼は無症状の保菌者だった。
He was an asymptomatic carrier (source of infection).