Definition

Noun: 1. A specific acute bacterial infection: Vincent's infection is a medical term for an acute, communicable infection primarily affecting the mouth and respiratory tract. Its defining clinical feature is the ulceration (formation of open sores) of the mucous membranes.

Usage Notes

• This term is highly specific to medical and clinical contexts. It is not used in everyday conversation.
• It is named after the physician Henri Vincent. The possessive form "Vincent's" is always used.
• It is considered a dated or historical term in many modern medical contexts, often replaced by more precise terminology.

Examples

• The patient was diagnosed with Vincent's infection after presenting with severe gingival ulceration.
• Vincent's infection, also known as trench mouth, was commonly reported among soldiers during World War I.
• The rapid onset of mucosal ulcers suggested a possible Vincent's infection.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metonymically to refer to the characteristic symptoms or the specific bacterial flora associated with the condition.
  • The necrotizing ulceration was classic for Vincent's infection.

Variants and Related Words

• Trench mouth (n): A common synonym for Vincent's infection, referring to the same clinical condition.
• Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) (n): The modern, more clinically descriptive term for this condition.
• Noma (n): A severe, gangrenous progression of a similar infectious process, often seen in malnourished individuals.

Synonyms

• Trench mouth
• Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG)

Related Phrases

• Vincent's angina: A related condition where the infection and ulceration extend to the throat and tonsils.
• Fusospirochetal infection: A descriptive term highlighting the typical bacterial causes ( and spirochetes).

Noun

1. an acute communicable infection of the respiratory tract and mouth marked by ulceration of the mucous membrane