An intermediate host of a virus is a carrier of the virus other than a natural host, which is an organism that provides nutrition and a place for the microorganism, including humans and animals. An intermediate host is a parasitological concept in which the host in which the parasite is hosted during the larval or asexual reproductive stages is called an intermediate host, which also provides nutrition and protection to the parasite, although the parasite cannot grow to adulthood in the intermediate host; the parasite develops through the intermediate host and finally reaches the final host. If the parasite is a pathogenic microorganism, the intermediate host is usually a pathogen carrier other than the natural host that provides nutrition and protection for the pathogen and can discharge the pathogen without developing the disease itself.