1. to cause a second infection in addition to an existing one
Usage: medical

Examples

• The patient’s wound became superinfected with bacteria after the initial viral infection.
• Doctors worry that the compromised immune system could allow other pathogens to superinfect the tissue.
• The antibiotic treatment failed to prevent secondary organisms from superinfecting the surgical site.
• When the primary infection weakens the body’s defenses, opportunistic microbes may superinfect.
• The veterinarian explained that stress could cause other diseases to superinfect the already sick animal.
• Researchers studied how certain viruses can superinfect cells already infected with different strains.