Significance of Asymptomatic infection
Asymptomatic infection refers to cases where individuals are infected with a pathogen, such as C. trachomatis or the Ebola virus, but do not display any symptoms. This condition complicates detection, treatment, and control of the disease as those infected may still transmit the virus to others. High rates of asymptomatic infections pose challenges in accurately diagnosing infections and understanding their clinical significance, making it essential to improve detection strategies for diseases like COVID-19 and syphilis.
Synonyms: Subclinical infection, Silent infection, Latent infection
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The concept of Asymptomatic infection in scientific sources
Asymptomatic infection involves infections like CMV and Zika virus, where individuals show no clear symptoms, complicating diagnosis and management. Notably, around 80% of Zika virus cases are asymptomatic, highlighting the challenge in recognizing these infections.
From: The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
(1) This refers to a condition where an individual is infected with the virus but does not show any symptoms, potentially leading to silent transmission.[1] (2) An infection that does not present any noticeable symptoms, making its clinical relevance difficult to ascertain.[2] (3) The occurrence of a high number of asymptomatic infections complicates the diagnosis and data collection about syphilis.[3] (4) Asymptomatic infection is observed in most infected individuals, complicating identification and response.[4]