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