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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffWhile anyone can catch infectious diseases, you may be more likely to get sick if your immune system isn't working properly. This may occur if:
- You're taking steroids or other medications, such as anti-rejection drugs for a transplanted organ, which suppress your immune system
- You have HIV or AIDS
- You have certain types of cancer or other disorders that affect your immune system
In addition, certain other medical conditions may predispose you to infection, including implanted medical devices, malnutrition and extremes of age, among others.
References
- Understanding microbes in sickness and in health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/microbes/documents/microbesbook.pdf. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Facts about infectious diseases. Infectious Diseases Society of America. http://www.idsociety.org/factsaboutid.html. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Routes of transmission. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1166387393&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00013-8--s0105&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&uniqId=254689631-5#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00013-8--s0105. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Anti-infective therapy. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00018-7&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&uniqId=254689631-5#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..X0001-X--s40. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Infectious disease report. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/infectious-disease-report/pages/ch1text.html. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- An ounce of prevention keeps the germs away. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ounceofprevention/docs/oop_brochure_eng.pdf. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Johnson KS, et al. Lumbar puncture: Technique; indications; contraindications; and complications in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 2, 2011.
- Oehler RL, et al. "Down boy!" Infectious diseases spread by cats and dogs. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice. 2009;17:298.
- Curtis V, et al. Hygiene: New hopes, new horizons. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2011;11:312.
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