Opportunistic infection

opportunistic infection

n.

An infection by a microorganism that normally does not cause disease but becomes pathogenic when the body's immune system is impaired and unable to fight off infection, as in AIDS and certain other diseases.

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Opportunistic infection

An infection that is normally mild in a healthy individual, but which takes advantage of an ill person's weakened immune system to move into the body, grow, spread, and cause serious illness.

Mentioned in: AIDS, AIDS Tests, Cryptococcosis, Mucormycosis, Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

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opportunistic infection,

n an infection by a microbial organism to which the patient is usually resistant; however, because of reduced vitality or through suppression of the immune system, the patient has become infected.

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opportunistic infection Infectious disease An infection by a microorganism, usually bacterial, that is part of the normal flora–eg, of the skin, GI tract, GU tract, respiratory tract or elsewhere, which becomes pathogenic when the host's immune system is compromised by an unrelated disease–eg, AIDS, chemotherapy, or DM, resulting in OIs of lungs, brain, eyes, etc