Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) Practice Exam 2026 - Free CIC Practice Questions and Study Guide

Suprainfection is accurately defined as a secondary infection that arises during or after treatment for a primary infection. This situation often occurs when the treatment, such as antibiotics, disrupts the normal flora of the body, allowing opportunistic pathogens to thrive and cause an additional infection. For instance, if a patient is being treated for a bacterial infection and subsequently develops a yeast infection due to the antibiotic disrupting normal bacterial flora, this would be an example of suprainfection.

The other statements do not capture the essence of what suprainfection entails. While it is true that suprainfections may occur at the same site as the original infection, they can also occur in different areas. Not all suprainfections are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria; in fact, many may be due to organisms that are normally harmless but become pathogenic under certain conditions. Additionally, suprainfections can vary in severity and are not always less severe than the primary infection, as they can sometimes be more complex and challenging to treat. Thus, the definition provided in the chosen answer highlights the important relationship between the primary infection and the subsequent development of a suprainfection.