What kind of infection occurs when a pathogen is distributed throughout the body?

A systematic infection occurs when a pathogen spreads throughout the body and affects multiple systems or organs, often leading to systemic symptoms like fever, chills, and fatigue. This type of infection can be caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that enter the bloodstream and disseminate.

In contrast, a local infection is limited to a specific area of the body, causing localized symptoms, while a fungal infection and a viral infection refer specifically to infections caused by fungi and viruses, respectively. These terms describe particular types of pathogens rather than the distribution within the body. Therefore, the classification of an infection as systematic highlights its widespread and often more severe impact on the entire body.