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.
Officials said it was possible that some visitors may have passed the virus on through secondary infection.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2024
If your symptoms don’t improve after several days, or improve and then regress, it could be a sign you have a secondary infection such as pneumonia, Casto said.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 26, 2024
Markowski said scratching can cause secondary infection and prolong the irritation.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 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
In other cases these abscesses are supposed to arise from secondary infection.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
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.
