Immunocompromised Quotes

The more I considered it, the more I realized how much I have in common with these koalas. We’re both immunocompromised, lightly diseased, exhausted, and full of toxins. I’m totally a koala.

Cooties all gone?” She folded her lips around the inhaler and sucked. Her color looked better within seconds. “She’s careful about germs.” Tox nodded. “Immunocompromised?” She didn’t look sick, other than pale, but you never knew. “No!” gasped Grace, releasing her breath. “It’s just healthier to avoid them as much as possible. You never know where …” She passed the inhaler back to him. Their fingertips touched. “… something’s been.” “Like I said. Cooties. You know it’s actually better for your immune system to deal with germs and battle them off, right?

This small group of immunocompromised people would serve as safe havens for rhinoviruses. The hope of eradicating them is slim;

Herpesvirus. Herpes is actually a very large family of viruses, several of which are strongly linked to autoimmune disease. For example, Guillain-Barré syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus are associated with infections from viruses in the Cytomegalovirus genus. Although most people infected are completely asymptomatic, some experience symptoms similar to mononucleosis (sore throat, swollen glands, prolonged fever, and mild hepatitis). However, cytomegaloviral infections remain latent in the body and may cause serious disease should you become immunocompromised later in life. An estimated 40 percent of adults worldwide have had cytomegaloviral infections. Epstein-Barr virus is a member of the Herpesvirus family. It is responsible for infectious mononucleosis (mono or glandular fever). Infection with Epstein-Barr is associated with a higher risk of dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, and multiple sclerosis. Human herpesvirus 6 is another type of Herpesvirus, with infections typically presenting as a combination of rash and fever. (The childhood disease roseola is an example.) A strong link between Human herpesvirus 6 and multiple sclerosis has been observed, and there is an increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome associated with Human herpesvirus 6 infection.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). This parasite, which is present in birds and cats, is the reason pregnant women are not supposed to scoop kitty litter. At least 40 percent and as much as 70 percent of humans in Western countries are infected with toxoplasmosis, which is completely asymptomatic unless you are immunocompromised or become infected while pregnant. (There is no risk to the fetus if you are infected with Toxoplasma gondii before becoming pregnant, but getting infected during gestation can cause a variety of serious health problems for the baby.) This parasite, while typically considered completely benign, is associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (a suspected autoimmune disease), Parkinson’s disease (a suspected autoimmune disease), Tourette syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases.

In the field of biology, “superbugs” evolve when a bacterium, fungus, or virus is put in a low-stakes setting where it can both thrive and test itself against a panoply of our best defenses (like antibiotics). Hospitals present one such setting in that they serve as gathering points for already-infected individuals (many of whom are immunocompromised, making them “easy mode” for viruses, fungi, and bacteria) and are packed with antivirals, antifungal, and antibiotic medications. . . . Our modern social landscape has created a similar environment, enabling cultural viruses to evolve. These viruses cannot survive and reproduce independently and must parasitize healthy cultural ecosystems, rewriting healthy cultures' internal machinery to carry out their life cycles.

). In addition, Salk’s killed poliovirus could not revert to virulence, so it could be safely administered to immunocompromised patients and to their household contacts.

A superspreader is likely to be someone who (1) is not immunized or is immunocompromised and therefore particularly susceptible to infection, (2) does not engage in basic hygiene (e.g., covering coughs) and therefore likely to transmit influenza, (3) comes into contact with a great many people, through some combination of their social and occupational roles (e.g., a flight attendant, cafeteria worker, or someone with a highly active social life), or comes into regular contact with sick people that are particularly susceptible to infection