An infection caused by pathogens that typically don't cause disease in healthy individuals but take advantage of weakened immune systems. These infections are common in immunocompromised patients.
From Latin 'opportunus' meaning 'favorable' or 'convenient,' combined with 'infection.' The term reflects how these pathogens seize the opportunity when host defenses are down, coined in the mid-20th century.
Opportunistic infections are like bacterial bullies - they only pick on people when their immune system bodyguards aren't around! Many of these microbes live peacefully in or on healthy people, but become dangerous villains the moment your defenses are compromised.
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