Redundant terminology in infectious diseases: more than a harmless misnomer?

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The authors argue that “invasive fungal infection” is a misnomer because invasion is not unique to fungal infections and is inherent to infection.
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The article distinguishes infection from colonization, which does not involve pathogens entering the body and may protect against infection by other organisms.
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The term “invasive infection” is often used to convey severity, tissue depth, dissemination, systemic involvement, or difficulty of treatment.
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The authors suggest describing pathogens or infections more precisely, using terms such as severe, disseminated, or deep fungal infection.
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The article states that clearer terminology may help prevent overtreatment, particularly by distinguishing pathogen detection from symptomatic infection.

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