Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medications, and diseases interfere with your body's ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.
Conditions
- A personal or family history of cancer
- Surgery to remove the spleen
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Smoking or other tobacco use
Medications
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medications to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
- Radiation therapy
Diseases
- Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand's disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
- Infectious mononucleosis
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology |
| Last Updated | May 8, 2007 |
Author:Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Last Updated: 05/08/2007
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