Opportunistic bacterial infection

What it means

An infection that is caused by a bacterium that would generally not be able to cause an infection in a host with a normal immune system. Such bacteria take advantage of the opportunity, so to speak, that is provided by a weakened immune system.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category