infiziertem

Infiziertem is an inflected form of the German adjective infiziert, meaning infected. It is used to describe something that has become infected with a pathogen.

In grammar, infiziert is the past participle of infizieren (to infect) and can function as an adjective. The form infiziertem appears in the dative singular masculine or neuter when the adjective is used without a definite article or with strong declension: for example, mit infiziertem Virus or bei infiziertem Material. If a definite article is used, the ending changes to dem infizierten Virus or dem infizierten Material. Infiziertem cannot stand alone as a noun; it remains an adjective describing a noun.

Semantics and usage. The term is common in medicine, biology and public health to denote objects or individuals carrying an infectious agent. It contrasts with terms like uninfiziert (not infected) or infektiös (infectious in a different sense). The related noun forms include Infektion (infection) and Infizierter (a person who is infected) used as a substantive.

Examples. The phrase mit infiziertem Virus is typical in clinical or laboratory contexts. Bei infiziertem Material in safety guidelines signals that handling requires protective measures. In descriptive sentences one might say: Der Patient ist infiziert, und das Gewebe enthält infiziertes Material. The word infiziertem serves to specify the grammatical case and gender of the noun it describes in context.