In general, immuno-compromised people are most at risk. This may be due to malnutrition, the extremes of age (infants, elderly), cancer (e.g. leukemia), chemotherapy, immunosuppression after organ transplantation, HIV-AIDS, congenital immunodeficiency syndromes, or unvaccinated status when effective vaccines are available.
Who is most at risk of poor outcomes from infectious diseases?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Immunocompromised individuals — including people with malnutrition, people who are very young or old, people with cancer, people who have received organ transplants, people with HIV-AIDS, people with congenital immunodeficiencies, and people who are unvaccinated — are at the highest risk for poor outcomes from infectious diseases.