Medical Dictionary
persistent
adj per·sis·tent \-tənt\
Medical Definition of PERSISTENT
1
: existing or continuing for a long time: as a : effective in the open for an appreciable time usually through slow volatilizing <mustard gas is persistent> b : degraded only slowly by the environment <persistent pesticides> c : remaining infective for a relatively long time in a vector after an initial period of incubation <persistent viruses>
2
: continuing to exist despite interference or treatment <a persistent cough> <has been in a persistent vegetative state for two years>
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