Infections in the immunosuppressed patient.

Infections in the immunosuppressed cancer patient are caused by a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa; many of these in the normal individual are saprophytes but will cause disease in the immunosuppressed patient, often with treatment failure. Patterns of infection are recognized, and this should enable the physician to plan a meaningful course of action when infection occurs in the compromised host. Obviously, it would be much better to prevent rather than have to treat infection in these immunosuppressed patients. Ideally, in the future, it is hoped that drugs which have less suppressive effect on defense mechanisms will provide a partial solution to the problem of infection in the immunosuppressed patient.