secondary infection: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Medical, Technical
Quick answer
What does “secondary infection” mean?
An infection that occurs during or after treatment for a primary, different infection.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An infection that occurs during or after treatment for a primary, different infection.
A subsequent infection, often opportunistic, complicating an existing illness or condition, sometimes due to weakened defenses. Can also be used metaphorically for subsequent, related problems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling conventions follow national norms (e.g., 'hospitalised' vs. 'hospitalized' in surrounding text).
Connotations
Identical in medical contexts. In lay use, both varieties understand it as a serious complication.
Frequency
Equally common in professional healthcare discourse in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “secondary infection” in a Sentence
The patient [VERB: developed/suffered from/contracted] a secondary infection.A secondary infection [VERB: occurred/complicated/set in].This [VERB: increases/prevents/lowers] the risk of secondary infection.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “secondary infection” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The wound site became infected secondarily.
- He was hospitalised and later secondarily infected.
American English
- The wound site became secondarily infected.
- He was hospitalized and later developed a secondary infection.
adjective
British English
- Secondary infection risk is a major concern.
- They monitored for secondary infection signs.
American English
- The secondary infection risk is a major concern.
- They monitored for signs of secondary infection.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in corporate wellness or insurance contexts: 'Sick leave was extended due to a secondary infection.'
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and public health literature discussing disease progression and complications.
Everyday
Used when discussing personal or family health, especially after surgeries, colds, or wounds.
Technical
Core term in clinical medicine, nursing, and microbiology, with precise diagnostic criteria.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “secondary infection”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “secondary infection”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “secondary infection”
- Confusing it with a 'side effect' of medication. Using it to describe a less important infection rather than a chronologically subsequent one. Misspelling as 'secondery infection'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, yes. It is usually caused by a different opportunistic pathogen (e.g., a bacterial infection following a viral illness), though rarely it can be a different strain of the same general type.
No, by definition, a 'secondary' infection implies a preceding primary condition that created the vulnerability. If there is no primary infection or illness, it is simply an infection.
They are closely related. A superinfection is a specific type of secondary infection that develops during antimicrobial therapy for the primary infection, often because the treatment wiped out protective flora.
Use it when a health problem leads to another. Example: 'My cold turned into a sinus infection' could be phrased as 'I developed a secondary sinus infection after my cold.'
An infection that occurs during or after treatment for a primary, different infection.
Secondary infection is usually formal, medical, technical in register.
Secondary infection: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɛkənd(ə)ri ɪnˈfɛkʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkənˌdɛri ɪnˈfɛkʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific term. Often part of descriptive phrases like 'a secondary infection took hold'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'SECOND' + 'ARY' = second in line. The SECOND problem (infection) comes AFTER the first.
Conceptual Metaphor
HEALTH IS A BATTLEFIELD (the body's defenses are breached a second time).
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining characteristic of a 'secondary infection'?