opportunistic infection

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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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Words nearby opportunistic infection

opponent, opportune, opportunism, opportunist, opportunistic, opportunistic infection, opportunity, opportunity cost, opportunity shop, opposable, opposable thumb

How to use opportunistic infection in a sentence

Four weeks after the injections, all 20 of the participants had developed the antibodies needed to stave off the infection.
The Race for the Ebola Vaccine|Abby Haglage|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The following year, he developed pneumocystis pneumonia—a serious infection associated with HIV and AIDS.
The LGBT Center That Changed Our Lives|Justin Jones|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In Colombia, it was perceived more like a coincidence or perhaps even an opportunistic play by the FARC.
Venezuela Says Goodbye to Its Lil Friend, While the Rest of the Continent Cheers|Catalina Lobo-Guererro|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A fair number explicitly ask for an antibiotic, to cover the possibility that it is “bronchitis” or a “sinus infection.”
Without Education, Antibiotic Resistance Will Be Our Greatest Health Crisis|Russell Saunders|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

First, bubonic (rhymes with pneumonic but is altogether different) is a local infection sequestered in a lymph node.
Bubonic Plague Is Back (but It Never Really Left)|Kent Sepkowitz|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is still a general tendency in universities on both sides of the Atlantic to treat propaganda as infection.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
Chyluria occurs most frequently as a symptom of infection by Filaria sanguinis hominis.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
A mild degree means that the body is not reacting well, or else that the infection is too slight to call forth much resistance.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Infection in man occurs from ingestion of insufficiently cooked pork, which contains encysted embryos.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Tuberculous pleurisy due to direct extension from the lung may give excess of polymorphonuclears owing to mixed infection.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

Scientific definitions for opportunistic infection

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.

Cultural definitions for opportunistic infection

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.)