opportunistic infection
- 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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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
opportunistic infection
[ŏp′ər-tōō-nĭs′tĭk]
- An infection by a microorganism that normally does not cause disease but does so when lowered resistance to infection is caused by the impairment of the body's immune system.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
opportunistic infection
[(op-uhr-tooh-nis-tik)]
An infection caused by a microorganism that under normal conditions would not bring about disease. Opportunistic infections occur when the body's immune system is weakened by disease or malnutrition. (See AIDS.)
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.