characteristic of inheres in location of role material entity reservoir of infectious agent role A role borne by a material entity in virtue of the fact that it is a habitat in which infectious agents can persist and multiply and from which they can be transmitted in virtue of prevailing practices of potential hosts. Albert Goldfain Lindsay Cowell Alexander Diehl The role is realized in a process that has as part life and multiplication processes of an infectious agent and a transmission process. If the material entity bearing the reservoir role is an organism, then this organism also bears the host role. The organism may also bear the vector role. infectious agent portal of entry role infectious agent portal of exit role disinfectant role antiseptic role primary infection role secondary infection role infectious agent host role source of infection role