Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere
with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more
serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to
tell your doctor.
Conditions
- Age older than 60
- A marine sting or
scrape in the past
- Infant, young child, or very small adult
- Past serious reactions, such as:
- Allergic
reaction
- Anaphylaxis
- Skin
sensitivities
- Serum sickness
- Toxic
reaction
- Large skin reaction
- Surgery to remove the spleen
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or
withdrawal
- Smoking or other tobacco use
Medicines
- Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin,
heparin, and aspirin
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- Corticosteroids,
such as prednisone
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
Diseases
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Glaucoma
- Heart
disease
- HIV
- Kidney disease
- Liver
disease
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Seizure
disorder
- Sickle cell disease
