What is meant by a latent infection?

A latent infection is characterized by its ability to remain inactive within the host for an extended period after the initial infection. During this dormant phase, the causative agent is present in the body but does not cause symptoms or any active disease. This period of dormancy can vary significantly, and the infection can remain undetected until it re-emerges, leading to active disease.

Reactivation can be triggered by various factors such as stress, immunosuppression, or other illnesses, allowing the dormant pathogen to become active again and potentially cause symptoms. This phenomenon is often observed in viruses, such as the herpes simplex virus, which can establish latent infections in nerve cells.

The other options describe characteristics that do not align with the definition of a latent infection. An infection that is constantly active describes a chronic or acute infection, while an infection that causes immediate symptoms is indicative of an acute infection. An infection that is curable with antibiotics does not specifically relate to the concept of latency, as some latent infections can be viral in nature and may not respond to antibiotics at all.