Many conditions, diseases, medicines, and lifestyle choices can interfere with your 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

• Age older than 60
• Exposure to asbestos
• Having ear tubes in place
• Live in or attend a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home, or adult day care
• Living at an altitude greater than 5000 ft (1524 m)
• Living with smokers or regularly exposed to secondhand smoke
• Previous sinus surgery
• Previous surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)
• Recent hospitalization
• History of a pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Lifestyle choices

• Smoking or other tobacco use
• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Exposure to water-damaged buildings during reconstruction
• Occupational exposure to smoke, dust, fumes, or chemicals
• Occupation exposure to aerosolized water, such as metal workers or lifeguards

Medicines

• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease
• Cancer
• Chronic lung diseases, such as:
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Tuberculosis (TB)
• Chronic upper respiratory infections, such as chronic sinusitis, ear infections, or tonsillitis
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection)
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Ongoing infections of the lungs, such as pneumonia or bronchitis