WANG Qi.The Academic Connotation and Clinical Guiding Value of Latent Pathogen Theory[J].Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2025,66(24):2517-2522.
WANG Qi.The Academic Connotation and Clinical Guiding Value of Latent Pathogen Theory[J].Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2025,66(24):2517-2522.DOI: 10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2025.24.002.
The Academic Connotation and Clinical Guiding Value of Latent Pathogen Theory
This paper systematically reviews the historical origins and development of the theory of latent pathogen in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and proposes that the conceptual definition of latent pathogen encompasses both a narrow and a broad sense. In the narrow sense, it specifically refers to latent
qi
-induced warm diseases; in the broad sense, it includes all pathogenic factors that remain latent w
ithin the body without immediate manifestation, such as blood stasis, tumors, and calculi. The pathogenic characteristics of latent pathogen are marked by concealment, latency, dynamic transformation, and complexity. It is not only characterized by a prolonged incubation period, but also by continuous transformation in response to changes in individual constitution and environmental conditions. Moreover, it often intertwines with blood stasis, phlegm, and fire to form latent toxin, resulting in highly complex pathogenesis. A profound understanding of the TCM theory of latent pathogen is of great significance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of prevalent diseases such as autoimmune disorders, tumors, and infectious diseases, highlighting the important clinical value of this theory. Re-examining the theory of latent pathogen in TCM not only provides a unique new etiological perspective for modern clinical practice, but also offers theoretical support for disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and even chronic disease management.
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