Synonyms and antonyms of Infection and fighting infection in British Thesaurus

antibody (noun)

a substance that your body produces in your blood to fight illnesses and infections. Antibodies are an important part of the immune system that protects your body against disease.

biosecurity (noun)

the methods used to prevent an infection from spreading outside an area, used, for example, in cases of foot-and-mouth disease and avian flu

candida (noun)

a fungus in the body that can cause an infection called thrush

carrier (noun)

a person or animal that can infect another person or animal with a disease without getting it themselves

contagion (noun)

medical a situation in which a disease can be spread from one person or animal to another through touch or through the air

cross-contamination (noun)

the process by which bacteria from one substance infect another

cross-infection (noun)

the process by which someone infects a person who has a different infection

defence (noun)

something that happens in your body to prevent you from becoming ill

defence mechanism (noun)

a reaction in your body that protects you from illness or danger

fester (verb)

if an injury or sore place on your body festers, it becomes infected

foreign (adjective)

medical not forming a normal part of the body’s immune system

foreign body (noun)

formal something that has entered a place where it should not be, especially someone’s body

histamine (noun)

a natural substance produced by the body when it is fighting an infection or a poison

immune (adjective)

relating to the body’s immune system

immune system (noun)

the system in your body that protects you against diseases

immunity (noun)

the protection that someone’s body gives them against a particular disease

immunosuppression (noun)

the process of preventing the body’s immune system from working, for example so that it does not refuse to accept a new organ after a transplant operation

incubation period (noun)

medical the amount of time that it takes for the signs of an infection to become noticeable

infected (adjective)

someone who is infected has a disease that can be spread from one person to another

infected (adjective)

containing bacteria or other substances that cause disease

infected (adjective)

used about a cut or other injury containing bacteria that prevent it from getting better

infection (noun)

the process of becoming infected with a disease

infectious (adjective)

used about a person or animal that has an infectious disease

inflammation (noun)

an area on your body that is swollen, red, and painful because of an infection or injury

interferon (noun)

a substance that your body produces to protect itself from viruses

invasion (noun)

medical the movement of a disease or of the cells that cause it from one area to another

isolation period (noun)

a period of time during which someone with an infectious disease is kept away from other people

lymph (noun)

a clear liquid in your body that cleans your tissues and helps to remove harmful bacteria from your blood

lymphatic (adjective)

relating to lymph, or involved in moving lymph around your body

matter (noun)

medical the yellow substance that a part of your body produces when it is infected

pestilential (adjective)

formal relating to or causing a pestilence

pus (noun)

a thick yellow liquid that forms in flesh that has an infection

quarantine (noun)

a situation in which a person or animal that might have a disease is kept separate from other people or animals so that they do not catch the disease

rubbing alcohol (noun)

surgical spirit

septic (adjective)

infected with bacteria

sinusitis (noun)

an infection in which the inside of your sinuses becomes swollen

species barrier (noun)

the natural system that prevents diseases spreading from one type of animal or plant to another. This is often referred to in relation to BSE (=a disease of cows) spreading to humans in the form of CJD (=a brain disease in humans).

spread (noun)

a situation in which disease begins to infect more and more people

sty (noun)

an infection of the eyelid that makes it red and painful

transmission (noun)

formal a process by which a disease spreads from one person to another