Opportunistic infection

Opportunistic infection
"Opportunistic" redirects here. For the use in politics, see Opportunism.
Opportunistic infection
Classification and external resources
MeSH D009894

An opportunistic infection is an infection caused by pathogens, particularly opportunistic pathogens—those that take advantage of certain situations—such as bacterial, viral, fungal or protozoan infections that usually do not cause disease in a healthy host, one with a healthy immune system. A compromised immune system, however, presents an "opportunity" for the pathogen to infect.

Contents

Causes

Immunodeficiency or immunosuppression can be caused by:

Types of infections

Further information: Immunodeficiency

These infections include:

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of opportunistic infection, but usually involves different antibiotics.

Veterinary treatment

Opportunistic infections caused by Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline immunodeficiency virus retroviral infections can be treated with Lymphocyte T-Cell Immune Modulator.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • opportunistic infection — noun any infection caused by a microorganism that does not normally cause disease in humans; occurs in persons with abnormally functioning immune systems (as AIDS patients or transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs) • Hypernyms:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Opportunistic infection — An infection that occurs because of a weakened immune system. Opportunistic infections are a particular danger for people with AIDS. The HIV virus itself does not cause death, but the opportunistic infections that occur because of its effect on… …   Medical dictionary

  • opportunistic infection — An infection caused by an organism that does not normally cause disease. Opportunistic infections occur in people with weakened immune systems …   English dictionary of cancer terms

  • opportunistic infection — noun any infection that causes disease and occurs only when the hosts immune system is impaired …   Wiktionary

  • opportunistic — adj. 1. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; practising opportunism. [WordNet sense 1] Syn: opportunist, timeserving. [WordNet 1.5] 2. (Med.) Causing disease only when the immune system of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Opportunistic condition — A condition that occurs especially or exclusively in persons with a weak immune system due, for example, to AIDS, cancer or immunosuppressive drugs, such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy. An opportunistic condition may be an infection, such as… …   Medical dictionary

  • Opportunistic microorganism — A bacteria, virus, or fungus that takes advantage of certain opportunities to cause disease. Those opportunities are called opportunistic conditions. These microorganisms are often ones that can lie dormant in body tissues for many years, such as …   Medical dictionary

  • opportunistic — [äp΄ər to͞o nis′tik, äp΄ərtyo͞onis′tik] adj. 1. of or characterized by opportunism ☆ 2. designating or of an infection or disease caused by a microorganism (opportunistic microorganism) that is normally not virulent but that can cause a serious… …   English World dictionary

  • opportunistic — ► ADJECTIVE 1) exploiting immediate opportunities, especially in an unplanned or selfish way. 2) Medicine (of an infection) occurring when the immune system is depressed. DERIVATIVES opportunistically adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • opportunistic — 1. Denoting an organism capable of causing disease only in a host whose resistance is lowered, e.g., by other diseases or by drugs. 2. Denoting a disease caused by such an organism. * * * op·por·tu·nist·ic t(y)ü nis tik adj 1) of, relating to, or …   Medical dictionary

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