Persistent Infection

**Definition:** Infection which lasts for a long period with continuous display of clinical features. Persistent infection arises due to inability of host cells to clear primary infections completely. When persistent infections are cleared so that infection symptoms are under control they are often referred to as chronic infections. LATENT INFECTIONS are infections in which manifestation of clinical symptoms appear later.

**Tree numbers:** - C01.645 - C23.550.291.902

**Synonyms:** - Long Term Infection