If reproduction of itself is why pathogens infect hosts, wouldn’t it be best for them to infect and keep the host alive rather than causing death? Do they just reproduce too much and kill the host without understanding that it would result in the host dying and themselves with it?
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A pathogen is, by definition, a microorganism that can cause disease. If a microorganism manages to survive inside a host without causing issues for itself or the host, it becomes a part of the host’s microbiome. Microorganisms have no agenda or plan, it’s down to genetic luck whether it becomes destructive, symbiotic, or something else entirely.
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