secondary infection
Americannoun
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an infection occurring in an area of the body that already has or has recently had an infection.
After recovering from the flu, she developed a secondary infection in her lungs that is being treated with antibiotics.
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an infection occurring in an area of the body following trauma or severe damage: The gunshot did not hit a vital organ, but he died from a secondary infection in the wound.
His leg was so severely burned that it quickly developed secondary infections.
The gunshot did not hit a vital organ, but he died from a secondary infection in the wound.
Etymology
Origin of secondary infection
First recorded in 1800–10
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Multiple days of treatment are often required, and antibiotics and analgesics may also be administered to treat secondary infection and control pain,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Officials said it was possible that some visitors may have passed the virus on through secondary infection.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2024
The leaking fluid triggers a cytokine storm and can cause a secondary infection.
From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2024
Researchers counted 7,511 student close contacts in schools that tried the strategy, and the secondary infection rate was 0.7%.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 17, 2021
Thus the intrusion of a leucocytosis, brought about by secondary infection, is able to obliterate more or less the specific character of the blood.
From Histology of the Blood Normal and Pathological by Myers, W.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
