infection

/ɪnˈfɛkʃən/

/ɪnˈfɛkʃən/

Other forms: infections

Infections are what happens when germs invade your body and cause a disease. Some, like meningitis, an infection of the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord, can be deadly. Others, like the common cold, are relatively mild.

If you've ever scraped your knee and ended up with a swollen, achy scab, you know that you can develop an infection if you don't tend to your cuts and wounds and keep them clean. Though the word was traditionally used in the medical sense to refer to the pathogens, or germs, that cause illness, infection is now sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to people or things that act like pathogens. If rival gangs turn a neighborhood into a battleground, you could refer to this as an infection of gang activity.

Definitions of infection

1. noun

   (medicine) the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms and their multiplication which can lead to tissue damage and disease
   types:

   zymosis

   (medicine) the development and spread of an infectious disease (especially one caused by a fungus)

   fungal infection, mycosis

   an inflammatory condition caused by a fungus

   type of:

   pathologic process, pathological process

   an organic process occurring as a consequence of disease
2. noun

   an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted
   synonyms: contagion, transmission

   type of:

   incident

   a single distinct event
3. noun

   the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
   types:

   enterobiasis

   an infestation with or a resulting infection caused by the pinworm Enterobius vermicularis; occurs especially in children

   felon, whitlow

   a purulent infection at the end of a finger or toe in the area surrounding the nail

   focal infection

   bacterial infection limited to a specific organ or region especially one causing symptoms elsewhere

   cross infection, nonsocial infection

   an infection that is acquired at a hospital or other healthcare facility

   opportunistic infection

   any infection caused by a microorganism that does not normally cause disease in humans; occurs in persons with abnormally functioning immune systems (as AIDS patients or transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs)

   paronychia

   infection in the tissues adjacent to a nail on a finger or toe

   protozoal infection

   any infection caused by a protozoan

   respiratory infection, respiratory tract infection

   any infection of the respiratory tract

   itch, scabies

   a contagious skin infection caused by the itch mite; characterized by persistent itching and skin irritation

   bilharzia, bilharziasis, schistosomiasis

   an infestation with or a resulting infection caused by a parasite of the genus Schistosoma; common in the tropics and Far East; symptoms depend on the part of the body infected

   sepsis

   the presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues

   sore

   an open skin infection

   staphylococcal infection

   an infection with staphylococcus bacteria; usually marked by abscess formation

   septic sore throat, strep throat, streptococcal sore throat, streptococcus tonsilitis, throat infection

   an infection of the oral pharynx and tonsils by streptococcus

   eye infection, hordeolum, sty, stye

   an infection of the sebaceous gland of the eyelid

   superinfection

   infection that occurs while you are being treated for another infection

   suprainfection

   secondary infection caused by an opportunistic infection

   tapeworm infection

   intestinal infection by a species of parasitic tapeworm; usually the result of eating inadequately cooked meat or fish

   lockjaw, tetanus

   an acute and serious infection of the central nervous system caused by bacterial infection of open wounds; spasms of the jaw and laryngeal muscles may occur during the late stages

   toxoplasmosis

   infection caused by parasites transmitted to humans from infected cats; if contracted by a pregnant woman it can result in serious damage to the fetus

   viral infection, virus infection

   infection by a virus that is pathogenic to humans

   vaccina, vaccinia, variola vaccina, variola vaccine, variola vaccinia

   a local infection induced in humans by inoculation with the virus causing cowpox in order to confer resistance to smallpox; normally lasts three weeks and leaves a pitted scar

   malaria

   an infective disease caused by sporozoan parasites that are transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito; marked by paroxysms of chills and fever

   progressive vaccinia, vaccinia gangrenosa

   a severe or even fatal form of vaccinia that occurs mainly in persons with an immunological deficiency; characterized by progressive enlargement of the initial lesion

   amebiasis, amebiosis, amoebiasis, amoebiosis

   infection by a disease-causing ameba

   giardiasis

   infection of the intestines with protozoa found in contaminated food and water; characterized by diarrhea and nausea and flatulence and abdominal discomfort

   VHF, haemorrhagic fever, hemorrhagic fever, viral haemorrhagic fever, viral hemorrhagic fever

   a group of illnesses caused by a viral infection (usually restricted to a specific geographic area); fever and gastrointestinal symptoms are followed by capillary hemorrhage

   herpangia

   a viral infection (usually in children) marked by sore throat and fever and papules in the mouth and throat and headache and abdominal pain; usually subsides in a short time

   kala azar, leishmaniasis, leishmaniosis

   sores resulting from a tropical infection by protozoa of the genus Leishmania which are spread by sandflies

   lower respiratory infection

   infection of the lower respiratory tract

   HIV

   infection by the human immunodeficiency virus

   viral pneumonia

   pneumonia caused by a virus

   upper respiratory infection

   infection of the upper respiratory tract

   aspergillosis

   an opportunistic infection by a fungus of the genus Aspergillus; characterized by inflammation and lesions of the ear and other organs

   boil, furuncle

   a painful sore with a hard core filled with pus

   blain

   an inflammatory swelling or sore

   carbuncle

   an infection larger than a boil and with several openings for discharge of pus

   chancre

   a small hard painless nodule at the site of entry of a pathogen (as syphilis)

   fester, suppurating sore

   a sore that has become inflamed and formed pus

   gall

   a skin sore caused by chafing

   trichomoniasis

   infection of the vagina

   blood poisoning, septicaemia, septicemia

   invasion of the bloodstream by virulent microorganisms from a focus of infection

   sapraemia, sapremia

   blood poisoning caused by putrefactive bacteria; results from eating putrefied matter

   type of:

   health problem, ill health, unhealthiness

   a state in which you are unable to function normally and without pain
4. noun

   the communication of an attitude or emotional state among a number of people
   “the infection of his enthusiasm for poetry”

   synonyms: contagion

   type of:

   communication

   something that is communicated by or to or between people or groups
5. noun

   moral corruption or contamination
   “ambitious men are led astray by an infection that is almost unavoidable”

   type of:

   corruption, corruptness

   lack of integrity or honesty (especially susceptibility to bribery); use of a position of trust for dishonest gain
6. noun

   (international law) illegality that taints or contaminates a ship or cargo rendering it liable to seizure
   type of:

   illegality

   unlawfulness by virtue of violating some legal statute
7. noun

   (phonetics) the alteration of a speech sound under the influence of a neighboring sound
   type of:

   linguistic process

   a process involved in human language