chronic inflammation

Definition: an inflammation that may begin with a relatively rapid onset or in a slow, insidious, and even unnoticed manner, and that tends to persist for several weeks, months, or years and has a vague and indefinite termination; occurs when the injuring agent (or products resulting from its presence) persists in the lesion, and the host's tissues respond in a manner (or to a degree) that is not sufficient to overcome completely the continuing effects of the injuring agent; characterized histopathologically by infiltrates of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and histiocytes; fibrosis; and granuloma formation.

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