secondary infection

American  

[sek-uhn-der-ee in-fek-shuhn] / ˈsɛk ənˌdɛr i ɪnˈfɛk ʃən /

noun

Medicine/Medical, Pathology.

1. 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.

2. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of secondary infection

First recorded in 1800–10

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

secondary infection

“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

Although surgeons often treat preemptively with antibiotics, life-threatening infection can occur right after surgery or weeks or months later as a secondary infection.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2023

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

Sometimes a wheal-like elevation arises, remains several minutes or hours, and then disappears; or occasionally, probably from secondary infection, it develops into a pustule.

From Essentials of Diseases of the Skin Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of Medicine by Henry Weightman Stelwagon

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