Infections

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. The infecting organism seeks to utilize the host's resources to multiply (usually at the expense of the host). This 'pathogen' will interfere with the normal functioning of the host and can lead to chronic wounds, gangrene, loss of an infected limb, and even death.

The host's response to infection is inflammation. Colloquially, a pathogen is usually considered a microscopic organism though the definition is broader, including feces, parasites, fungi, viruses, prions, and viroids. A symbiosis between parasite and host, whereby the relationship is beneficial for the former but detrimental to the latter, is characterised as parasitism.

The branch of medicine that focuses on infections and pathogens is infectious disease. A secondary infection is an infection that occurs during or following treatment of another already existing primary infection.

Some of the conditions below have an individual section. You can find them through the 'Conditions' home page. 

Bacterial and Viral Infections, Anthrax, Chickenpox, Impetigo, Measles, Mononucleosis, Mumps, Plague, Rabies, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Shingles, Smallpox, Tuberculosis, West Nile Virus, Whooping Cough, Anal Itching, Bacterial Pneumonia, Bartholin Cyst Bronchitis, Cellulitis, Cold Sores, Colds, Earache, Encephalitis, Fifth Disease, Flu, Food Poisoning, Gastroenteritis, Lyme Disease, Meningitis, Oral Herpes, Pinkeye, Pleurisy, Sinus Infection, Sore Throat, Strep Throat, Toxic Shock Syndrome, Viral Pneumonia, Yeast and Fungal Infections, Athlete's Foot, Ringworm, Skin Rashes, Vaginal Infections, Yeast Infection, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Mad Cow Disease and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Paronychia (Nail Infection), Sepsis (Blood Infection), Swollen Lymph Glands, Traveller's Diarrhoea, Breast Infection, Urinary Tract Infections, Vaginal Yeast Infections, Vomiting and Nausea.