Aleem Muhammad S., Sexton Robert, Akella Jagadish
Allama Iqbal Medical College/ Jinnah Hospital Lahore
American University of the Caribbean
Immunocompromised patients have an impaired immune system leading to decreased resistance to infections. The immunocompromised state can be innate; however, acquired immunodeficiency is far more common due to the recent advances in cancer chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation, use of immunomodulatory drugs, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). These recent developments have led to an increase in the number of immunocompromised patients. Pulmonary infections are quite common in immunocompromised patients owing to the respiratory tract’s constant environmental exposure. Besides the common pathogens capable of infecting an immunocompetent individual, immunocompromised patients are also at risk of infection from opportunistic pathogens. The type of pathogen involved and the severity of infection depend on the type, duration, and degree of immunodeficiency. Types of common immunodeficiencies are: Humoral. T-cell. Neutropenic. It is important to remember that various infections can be present simultaneously in an immunocompromised patient.
免疫功能低下的患者免疫系统受损，导致对感染的抵抗力下降。免疫功能低下状态可能是先天性的；然而，由于癌症化疗、造血干细胞和实体器官移植、免疫调节药物的使用以及获得性免疫缺陷综合征（艾滋病）的最新进展，获得性免疫缺陷更为常见。这些最新进展导致免疫功能低下患者的数量增加。由于呼吸道持续暴露于环境中，肺部感染在免疫功能低下患者中相当常见。除了能够感染免疫功能正常个体的常见病原体外，免疫功能低下患者还面临机会性病原体感染的风险。所涉及的病原体类型和感染严重程度取决于免疫缺陷的类型、持续时间和程度。常见的免疫缺陷类型有：体液免疫缺陷、T细胞免疫缺陷、中性粒细胞减少症。重要的是要记住，免疫功能低下患者可能同时存在多种感染。
