Eli5: Why does the body have different signs and symptoms with different diseases?

Question

For instance why does the body display differently if a person contracts the Mumps vs. something like Ebola?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Different cells in the body have different physical and chemical properties, so different infections affect them differently. (And of course viruses and bacteria also have different properties, so it’s about how they match up with your cells.) Think of it as your house: ants, wasps, mice, rats, and raccoons can all infest it, but they’ll go to different places to hide and feed and they’ll do different damage when they’re there.