commensalism
24.4 | Fungal Parasites and Pathogens By the end of this section, you will be able to: Describe fungal parasites and pathogens of plants Describe the different types of fungal infections in humans Explain why antifungal therapy is hampered by the similarity between fungal and animal cells Parasitism describes a symbiotic relationship in which one member of the association benefits at the expense of the other. Both parasites and pathogens harm the host; however, the pathogen causes a disease, whereas the parasite usually does not. Commensalism occurs when one member benefits without affecting the other.