What is "latent infection"?

Latent infection refers to a situation where a pathogen, such as a virus or bacteria, enters the body and establishes a presence without causing active disease symptoms. During this phase, the infectious agent is present but remains dormant, meaning it is not actively replicating or causing harm to the host. This state allows the infection to persist in the body undetected until specific conditions trigger reactivation, at which point symptoms may arise.

For instance, in the case of the varicella-zoster virus, after an initial chickenpox infection, the virus can lay dormant in nerve tissues and potentially reactivate later in life, leading to shingles. This characteristic of latent infections is crucial for understanding various diseases and their management, as individuals may unknowingly harbor the infection for extended periods before it becomes symptomatic.

Overall, the key aspect that defines a latent infection is the dormant state of the pathogen, which distinguishes it from other forms of infections that are characterized by active multiplication, immediate symptoms, or chronic forms that are consistently present without resolution.