title: Viral infections predisposing to bacterial infections.
abstract: Epidemiological and experimental evidence support the hypothesis that primary viral infection increases host susceptibility to secondary microbial invasion. The evidence is most compelling for a correlation between upper respiratory tract viruses and bacterial sinopulmonary disease; and cytomegalovirus and opportunistic fungal, bacterial and protozoal pathogens invading multiple sites. While a number of virus-induced alterations in host defenses have been described, the determinants of virus pathogenicity are still poorly understood.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications*