A patient who is immunosuppressed asks the nurse why he is experiencing so many illnesses. How should the nurse respond?

Question

1. "You are unable to develop immunity to common bacteria, so you experience more illnesses."
2. "Your body takes longer to develop an immune response."
3. "Your body thinks everything is foreign matter and responds with an illness."
4. "You are under severe stress, which is causing the illnesses."

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1

Patients with immunodeficiency disorders demonstrate an unusual susceptibility to infection. When the antibody-mediated response is primarily affected, the patient is at particular risk for severe and chronic bacterial infections. Patients with a defect of cell-mediated immunity tend to develop disseminated viral infections such as herpes simplex and cytomegalovirus. Overwhelming bacterial infections may occur. Patients with combined immunodeficiency are susceptible to all varieties of infectious organisms, including those not normally considered pathogens. The patient's body does not take longer to develop an immune response or think everything is foreign matter. Severe stress is not causing the illnesses.