What defines a localized infection?

A localized infection is defined as one that is confined to a specific area or location within the body. This type of infection does not spread throughout the body or into the bloodstream, which helps to differentiate it from systemic infections that can affect multiple parts of the body simultaneously. Symptoms of a localized infection often include redness, swelling, pain, and warmth in the affected area.

In contrast, infections that operate in the bloodstream are characterized as systemic and can lead to more widespread and severe health effects. Similarly, infections that spread through the air typically refer to airborne pathogens, which can lead to wider distribution of illness, rather than being localized. Lastly, infections that affect the entire body would also fall under systemic infections, which again is not the case for localized infections. Thus, the defining characteristic of a localized infection is its limitation to a specific site within the body.