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
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
Aparisim Ghosh
Examples of coinfection in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Clarithromycin, an antibacterial drug, has no effect on viruses like measles but can be used by doctors to treat coinfections from some bacterial pneumonias that sometimes develop in infected children, Campbell said.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025
Farmworkers are encouraged to consult health care providers about seasonal flu vaccinations, which may help reduce the risk of coinfection with other influenza strains.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025
The risk of death from babesiosis turned out to be higher among the people who were infected with that disease alone, as opposed to those who had coinfections.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 16 Oct. 2024
Related article To prevent supercharged flu virus, CDC pushes seasonal flu vaccines to farmworkers at risk of coinfection with bird flu
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bases decisions on its surveillance.
—Amy Maxmen, CNN, 2 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for coinfection
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alexander Tin, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025
Farmworkers are encouraged to consult health care providers about seasonal flu vaccinations, which may help reduce the risk of coinfection with other influenza strains.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025
The risk of death from babesiosis turned out to be higher among the people who were infected with that disease alone, as opposed to those who had coinfections.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 16 Oct. 2024
Related article To prevent supercharged flu virus, CDC pushes seasonal flu vaccines to farmworkers at risk of coinfection with bird flu
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bases decisions on its surveillance.
—Amy Maxmen, CNN, 2 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for coinfection
Cite this Entry
“Coinfection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coinfection. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
coinfection
noun
co·in·fec·tion
variants
or co-infection
: concurrent infection of a cell or organism with two or more pathogenic agents
pneumonia caused by coinfection with an orthomyxovirus and a streptococcus
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share