Definition

Adjective: * Having an impaired or weakened immune system: Describes a condition in which the body's immune system is not functioning properly, making it less capable of fighting off infections and diseases. This can be due to genetic factors, certain diseases, or medical treatments.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • Patients undergoing chemotherapy are often immunodeficient and must avoid crowds.
  • The study focused on infections common in immunodeficient individuals.
  • A person with an untreated immunodeficient condition is highly vulnerable to opportunistic infections.

Advanced Usage

• Medical Context: The term is primarily used in clinical, scientific, and public health contexts to describe a state of immune compromise.
  • Public health guidelines include special recommendations for immunodeficient travelers.

Variants and Related Words

• Immunodeficiency (n): The condition or state of being immunodeficient.
  • Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) is a serious genetic form of immunodeficiency.
• Immunocompromised (adj): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably in general contexts to mean having a weakened immune system.

Synonyms

• Immunocompromised: Having a reduced ability to fight infections due to a weakened immune system.
• Immunosuppressed: Specifically describes an immune system that has been deliberately weakened (e.g., by drugs after an organ transplant).

Antonyms

• Immunocompetent: Having a fully functioning and effective immune system.

Adjective

1. incapable of developing an immune response following exposure to an antigen
   • immunodeficient rodents