A disease in which there are periods of pathogen inactivity or dormancy is a __ disease.

A disease characterized by periods of pathogen inactivity or dormancy is classified as a latent disease. In latent diseases, the pathogen may be present in the host in a dormant state, meaning it is not actively replicating or causing symptoms during these periods. This can allow the disease to remain undetected for long periods before reactivating and causing illness, often triggered by factors such as stress or a weakened immune response.

Chronic diseases, in contrast, involve prolonged symptoms and are often persistent over time, but they do not necessarily have dormancy periods. Acute diseases typically present with rapid onset of symptoms but do not include the concept of dormancy. Progressive diseases are characterized by a gradual worsening of condition, but again do not incorporate periods of inactivity in the pathogen. The definition of latent captures the unique feature of dormancy that is critical for identifying this category of disease.