Definitions for "Opportunistic infection"
Related Terms:
Pneumococcal vaccine, Opportunistic infections, Aids, Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, Attenuated, Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, Variolation, Cowpox, Immunizations, Vaccinate, Hiv disease, Combination vaccine, Immune, Mmr , Hepatitis b vaccine, Lupus, Opportunistic pathogen, Hiv/aids, Hib, Autoimmune hepatitis, Autoimmune diseases, Anca , Ipv, Hepatitis b immune globulin, Autoimmune disorders, Hbig, Immunocompromised, Human immunodeficiency virus, Inoculation, Immunodeficiency, Vaccination, Active immunization, Cytomegalovirus, Infectious disease, Immunosuppressed, Infection, Asymptomatic, Bcg, Opportunistic, Autoimmune disease, Susceptible, Serum sickness, Polyvalent vaccine, Therapeutic vaccine, Vaccinia, Acute hiv infection, Chemoprophylaxis, Rheumatoid factor, Herd immunity
an infection by germs that do not usually cause disease, but occurs only under certain conditions, such as in immunodeficient or immunosuppressed patients.
A disease or illness in a person with HIV. The INFECTION is called opportunistic because it takes advantage of the body's weakened IMMUNE SYSTEM. Once a person gets an OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION, a doctor can say that the person has AIDS. This just means that the doctor noticed a change in how the person's IMMUNE SYSTEM works. It takes about 8-11 years for HIV to destroy the IMMUNE SYSTEM so that it doesn't kill germs very well. People with healthy IMMUNE SYSTEMS have or get these same germs in their body. They don't get sick because their IMMUNE SYSTEM works well. Different people get different illnesses. Most people don't die after they get one. There are medicines to treat many OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS now.
any infection caused by a microorganism that does not normally cause disease in humans
a disease (e.g., PCP, MAC, CMV disease) caused by a microorganism that does not normally cause illness in a person with a healthy immune system, but which may cause serious disease when the immune system is suppressed.
An infection that normally does not cause disease but does so when it affects a person with a weakened immune system.
an infection in immune-suppressed people that can otherwise be fought by healthy immune systems.
an infection caused by an organism that ordinarily does not cause disease but under circumstances such as impaired immunity, becomes pathogenic.
when one germ weakens your immune system or some other part of your body's defences (like your skin) then it makes it easier for other germs to attack you. For example, having an HIV infection makes it easier for a person to get pneumonia. Having an open herpes sore makes it easier for bacteria to opportunistically infect that area of the body.
an infection by an uncommon organism (may be a bacteria, virus or fungus), one that takes advantage of a patient's suppressed or altered immunity (hence opportunistic), such as is found in AIDS patients.
An illness that is considered rare or otherwise difficult to catch but that can take advantage of a weakened immune system.
An infection caused by microorganisms that are commonly found in the host's environment This term is often used to refer to infections caused by organisms in the normal flora
infection by organisms that would be harmless to a healthy person, but cause infection in those with a weakened immune system (for example, persons with AIDS or chemotherapy patients)
an illness caused by an organism that usually does not cause disease in a person with a normal immune system. Tends to occur in individuals with advance HIV disease such as Pneumocystis Carini Pneumonia, Tuberculosis.
A disease suffered by a person whose immune system is impaired (as in AIDS); these infections are usually not problematic in people with functioning immune systems.
Illnesses caused by various organisms, some of which usually do not cause disease in persons with normal immune systems.
a bacterial infection which takes over when the immune functions are down, when you have an immune defect or an immune deficiency
A disease which waits on favorable opportunities such as a lowered immune defense.
Infection with agent that is normally apathogenic, but which causes disease in cases of immunodeficiency.
an infection caused by a microorganism that does not ordinarily cause disease but is capable of doing so, under certain host conditions (e.g., impaired immune response).
An infection with a micro-organism that does not ordinarily cause disease, but that becomes pathogenic in a person whose immune system is impaired, as by HIV infection
An infection that occurs because of a compromised immune system.
An infection which occurs in people with defective immune systems and is caused by an organism that does not usually cause illness in people with healthy immune systems. Click here to return to list
An infection caused by a microbe which a healthy person would be able to fight off. Opportunistic infections are found in immunodeficient persons, those suffering form AIDS, an those on chemo therapy.
Certain illnesses such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, (PCP) that people with AIDS can get and which can be life-threatenining. People with healthy immune systems do not usually get these illnesses, even though most people have the organisms that cause these illnesses in their body already. Only when the immune system is damaged can the organisms take advantage of the "opportunity" of this weakened state and cause damage.
this is an unusual infection that is only possible when one's immune system has been reduced by HIV or other causes (for example, leukemia, cancer chemotherapy); see the page on this site for more details (click HERE)
An infection caused by a microorganism that rarely induces disease in persons whose immune systems are normal.
an illness caused by an organism that usually does not cause disease in a person with a normal immune system. People with advanced HIV infection suffer opportunistic infections of the lungs, brain, eyes and other organs.
a disease or condition that attacks because of a weakened immune system. Commonly abbreviated OI. One good list of OIs is in the U.S. government's definition of AIDS.
an illness caused by a microorganism that usually does not cause disease in persons with healthy immune systems, but which may cause serious illness when the immune system is suppressed. Common OI in HIV positive people include Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
An infection that develops only when a person's immune system is weakened, as happens to AIDS patients.
An infection by organisms that usually don't cause infection in people whose immune systems are working normally.
an infection in immune deficient, or immune-suppressed persons, symptomatically caused by organisms that do not usually affect people with deemed normal immune systems.
an infection caused by a usually harmless organism. The infection is allowed to take place due to a weakness in the hostâ€(tm)s immune system.
An infection that can normally be controlled by an intact immune system but that causes illness in a person with a damaged immune system.
a disease caused by a microorganism that does not normally cause illness in a person with a healthy immune system, but that may cause serious disease when the immune system is weakened. Common OIs in HIV positive people include Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
An infection resulting from a compromised immune system. When the immune system becomes unable to defend the body adequately, it provides the opportunity for foreign organisms to take advantage of the situation, resulting in illness, infection and disease. These infections, diseases, and some types of cancers would not normally occur were it not for the body's lowered resistance to disease.
Infections that are caused by agents that are frequently present in the body or environment, and can cause an infection in an immune-compromised person by an organism that does not usually cause disease in healthy people. When an individual's immune system becomes weak, these organisms may cause serious or even life-threatening illnesses.
An infection caused by an infectious agent that
An infection in an immunosuppressed person caused by an organism that does not usually trouble people with health immune systems.
An infection in an immuno-suppressed person caused by an organism that does not usually trouble people with healthy immune systems.
a disease caused by germs that would ordinarily be destroyed by a healthy immune system
An infection in an immune-compromised person caused by an organism that does not usually cause disease in healthy people. Many of these organisms are carried in a latent state by virtually everyone and only cause disease when given the opportunity of a damaged immune system.
any infection or condition that takes the opportunity of a weakened immune system to cause disease. These may include relatively common infections, which may cause little or no harm in a healthy person.
An illness that takes advantage of HIV's weakening of the immune system to cause disease. Many OIs occur almost exclusively in people with HIV (e.g., cryptococcal meningitis, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, toxoplasmosis), while others are simply more likely to cause disease in people whose immune system have been weakened by HIV (e.g., candidiasis, herpes, tuberculosis).
An infection caused by an organism that does not normally cause disease. Opportunistic infections occur in people with weakened immune systems.
An illness such as Pneumoncystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) that people with HIV/AIDS can get and which can be potentially life-threatening. People with healthy immune systems do not usually get these illnesses, even though most people already have the organisms that cause these illnesses in their bodies. When the immune system is damaged, the organisms take advantage of the "opportunity" to cause illness.
An illness that ordinarily would not occur but does occur in a person with a weakened immune system.
Opportunistic infections are infections caused by organisms that usually do not cause disease in a person with a healthy immune system, but can affect people with a poorly functioning or suppressed immune system. They need an "opportunity" to infect a person.