The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic continues to spread worldwide - the total number of deaths from COVID-19 pneumonia exceeded 42,000. Entire countries are quarantined, epidemiologists and virologists do not stop calling for self-isolation of those at risk: people over 65 and patients with chronic diseases and immunocompromised. Who needs to be especially careful, and which diseases lead to malfunctions in the immune system?

Asthma and chronic lung diseases Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease characterized by repeated attacks of suffocation and breathing with a whistle. The frequency of seizures can vary from several times a day to several times a week. WHO estimates 235 million people worldwide suffer from asthma. It is also the most common chronic disease in children..

During an asthma attack, the mucous membrane of the bronchi swells, the airways spasm and narrow, resulting in less air entering the lungs. It becomes difficult for asthmatics to inhale and especially exhale. Attacks are accompanied by cough, wheezing, increased shortness of breath. The body is struggling to counteract them, and this struggle substantially weakens it..

Asthma attacks can trigger allergens and respiratory infections. In this case, the immune system has to fight not only with asthma, but also with other diseases. Sometimes she is unable to cope with her task, and in the most adverse cases, this can lead to irreversible consequences..

Another disease of the respiratory system is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is believed that one of the main causes of COPD is tobacco smoke, while both active and passive smokers are at risk. The immune system of people with COPD, which also has to fight other diseases, is experiencing a double burden. The lungs of patients with COPD are severely damaged, and viruses have far fewer barriers to entry..

Diabetes mellitus Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the produced insulin. This leads to chronic high blood sugar - hyperglycemia..

Two types of diabetes are known.. The first type, also called insulin-dependent, is characterized by a lack of insulin production. It affects mainly children. Type 90 diabetes affects about 90 percent of those who have the disease.. It develops as a result of the fact that the body is unable to effectively use the produced insulin.

Elevated blood sugar weakens the body's resistance. Infectious diseases, especially those accompanied by fever, can dramatically worsen the condition of diabetics - even those whose disease is well controlled with drugs.

But with diabetes, not only carbohydrate metabolism is disrupted. The disease can affect the vessels and affect the condition of the internal organs, exposing them to additional loads. And then the immune system becomes much more difficult to protect the body from foreign and harmful interference.

Cardiovascular Disease More people die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) each year than any other disease. According to the WHO, in 2016 they caused the death of almost 18 million people, this is a third of all deaths in the world. 85 percent died of a heart attack (heart attack) or stroke. CVD includes coronary heart disease, in which blood vessels are unable to supply blood to the heart muscle, and vascular disease that supplies blood to the brain.

Any infectious disease for people with similar problems can be fatal.. The same applies to those who suffer from disorders of the heart valves: viral infections can destabilize the work of the whole body.

Hypertension Hypertension or hypertension, characterized by high blood pressure, is a common disease. In Germany alone, there are 20-30 million hypertensive patients, and their number in the world is 1.13 billion..

Hypertension is considered one of the main causes of death on our planet.. It also increases the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system, brain and other diseases..

High blood pressure leads to damage to arterial vessels and affects the functioning of the heart, which is forced to be in an overload condition.. This can lead to the development of severe cardiovascular diseases and, as a result, weaken the body's resistance to viruses and other infections..

Oncological diseases Oncological patients are also at risk.. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world.. According to WHO, 9.6 million people died from them in 2018.

One of the most common treatments for oncology is chemotherapy.. In this case, cytostatics are used - antitumor drugs that disrupt the growth, development and division of malignant cells. But cytostatics attack not only cancer cells - healthy tissues also suffer from them, it damages the immune system, and the body becomes more susceptible to pathogenic microorganisms.

The degree of detrimental effect on immunity in the treatment of cancer depends on various factors, including the type of cancer and the general condition of the patient. In any case, people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation should be extremely careful.. Even a relatively harmless cold can become extremely dangerous for them, therefore, during an exacerbation of respiratory diseases, cancer patients should, if possible, avoid contact with those who cough and sneeze.

Autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases increase the risk of infection not only with coronavirus, but also with other infections. They occur when, for an unknown reason, a failure occurs in the immune system and it begins to attack not alien viruses and pathogens, but tissues and internal organs of its own body. There are many autoimmune diseases - among them there are rare and more common, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease (chronic inflammation of the intestine).

For patients with autoimmune diseases, doctors prescribe immunosuppressants that suppress the immune system. Immunosuppressants and people with HIV. The defense mechanisms of a weakened immune system malfunction, and the body becomes an easy victim of infections. Therefore, those who are forced to take immunosuppressive drugs should be extremely careful..

And finally, do not forget that some pathogens of infectious diseases are dangerous for people without any chronic diseases.. Therefore, everyone, without exception, should be careful and not neglect the rules of hygiene.

Source: DW.