Disseminated disease refers to a diffuse disease process, generally either infectious or neoplastic, but sometimes also referring to connective tissue disease.

A disseminated infection, for example, is one that has extended beyond its origin or nidus and involved the bloodstream to “seed” other areas of the body. Similarly, metastatic cancer can be viewed as a disseminated infection in that it has extended into the bloodstream or the lymphatic system to “seed” distant sites (known as metastasis).

Disseminated disease is often referred to in contrast to localized disease.