coinfection

noun

co·​in·​fec·​tion kō-in-ˈfek-shən 

variants or co-infection

plural coinfections or co-infections

: concurrent infection of a cell or organism with two or more pathogenic agents

coinfection with influenza A and SARS-CoV-2

coinfect

kō-in-ˈfekt 

transitive verb

or co-infect

coinfected or co-infected; coinfecting or co-infecting; coinfects or co-infects

Some experts suspect that superspreaders might have a more virulent strain of coronavirus or be co-infected with other microbes.

—Aparisim Ghosh

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

During the coinfection, the two segmented influenza viruses could exchange bits of genetic code and combine to create a chimeric virus. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Feb. 2023

Another study of patients hospitalized with viral or bacterial infections found that nearly half had a coinfection with another pathogen. —Hayley Muendlein, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2022

Scientists there decided to start hunting for examples of coinfection and possible recombination earlier this year. —Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Mar. 2022

Two cases of coinfection have already been reported in another study currently under review, the study's authors stated. —Erin Prater, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2022

Bay Area scientists agreed that recombination due to delta and omicron coinfection isn’t surprising. —Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Mar. 2022

Rather, flurona is a coinfection of the flu and coronavirus. —Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Jan. 2022

Basically, a coinfection will likely look like a typical COVID-19 infection. —Korin Miller, Health.com, 13 Jan. 2022

Other countries, among them Brazil, Hungary, and Spain have also confirmed instances of the coinfection. —Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Jan. 2022

See More

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

coinfection

noun

co·​in·​fec·​tion

variants or co-infection

ˌkō-in-ˈfek-shən 

: concurrent infection of a cell or organism with two or more pathogenic agents

pneumonia caused by coinfection with an orthomyxovirus and a streptococcus

coinfect transitive verb

or co-infect

-ˈfekt