infestation

/ɪnfɛˈsteɪʃɪn/

/ɪnfɛˈsteɪʃən/

Other forms: infestations

An infestation is an invasion of insects on a place like a house or an attack by insects on a plant.

If you're scared of bugs, you're not going to like learning about an infestation, which is a huge amount of insects going where they're not supposed to be. If a house is full of cockroaches or other bugs, that's an infestation. One or two bugs doesn't count: an infestation means lots of bugs are invading, and it's a huge problem. Also, when plants are attacked by lots of swarming insects, that's called an infestation or plague.

Definitions of infestation

1. noun

   the state of being invaded or overrun by parasites
   types:

   fascioliasis, fasciolosis

   infestation with the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica; liver damage sometimes occurs; related to liver rot

   fasciolopsiasis

   infestation with the large intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski; common in eastern Asia

   Guinea worm, Guinea worm disease, dracunculiasis

   a painful and debilitating infestation contracted by drinking stagnant water contaminated with Guinea worm larvae that can mature inside a human's abdomen until the worm emerges through a painful blister in the person's skin

   enterobiasis

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

   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

   myositis trichinosa, trichiniasis, trichinosis

   infestation by trichina larvae that are transmitted by eating inadequately cooked meat (especially pork); larvae migrate from the intestinal tract to the muscles where they become encysted

   acariasis, acaridiasis, acariosis

   infestation with itch mites

   ascariasis

   infestation of the human intestine with Ascaris roundworms

   coccidiosis

   (veterinary medicine) infestation with coccidia

   echinococcosis, hydatid disease, hydatidosis

   infestation with larval echinococci (tapeworms)

   helminthiasis

   infestation of the body with parasitic worms

   myiasis

   infestation of the body by the larvae of flies (usually through a wound or other opening) or any disease resulting from such infestation

   onchocerciasis, river blindness

   infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America

   opisthorchiasis

   infestation with flukes obtained from eating raw fish; common in eastern Asia

   lousiness, pediculosis

   infestation with lice (Pediculus humanus) resulting in severe itching

   trombiculiasis

   infestation with chiggers

   trichuriasis

   infestation by a roundworm; common in tropical areas with poor sanitation

   hookworm, hookworm disease

   infestation of the intestines by hookworms which enter the body (usually) through the skin

   head lice, pediculosis capitis

   infestation of the scalp with lice

   pediculosis corporis

   infestation of body skin with lice

   crabs, pediculosis pubis

   infestation of the pubic hair by crab lice

   type of:

   fullness

   the condition of being filled to capacity
2. noun

   a swarm of insects that attack plants
   synonyms: plague

   type of:

   cloud, swarm

   a group of many things in the air or on the ground