Conditions and symptoms
What Is Immunosuppression? Why Medicine Labels Warn
Immunosuppression · say it: IM-yoo-noh-suh-PRESH-unAlso written: immune suppression, weakened immune system, immunosuppressed
Short answer
Immunosuppression means the immune system is working less strongly than usual, either because of a medicine or an illness, so infections are more likely.
What it means
Immunosuppression is a reduced ability of the immune system to fight infection. It can be done on purpose with medicines, for example after an organ transplant or to calm autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, or it can be caused by conditions such as untreated HIV or some cancers and their treatment. People who are immunosuppressed can catch infections more easily and get more seriously ill. A fever or signs of infection should be reported promptly.
Labels for immune-suppressing medicines, such as corticosteroids, transplant medicines, biologics and JAK inhibitors, warn about serious infections, reactivation of TB and hepatitis B, and sometimes certain cancers. They often say live vaccines should be avoided and that infections should be treated before starting. Other labels say a medicine may be less effective or riskier in people who are immunosuppressed.
Immunosuppression is the state of a weakened immune system; 'immunocompromised' describes a person in that state. 'Immunosuppressive' describes a medicine that causes it.
Where you may see it
- Boxed warnings on transplant, biologic and JAK inhibitor labels ('serious infections')
- Vaccine leaflets ('not for immunosuppressed people')
- Transplant and rheumatology clinic letters
📄 How it looks on a report
Increased susceptibility to infection and possible development of lymphoma may result from immunosuppression.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It does not mean you will get every infection; it means a higher risk.
- It does not mean all vaccines are off-limits; many inactivated vaccines are recommended.
- It does not mean you should stop your medicine without advice.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Immunosuppression”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Immunosuppression”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Acyclovir
An antiviral medicine of the nucleoside analogue type, used against herpesviruses
- Prednisolone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine. The label describes glucocorticoids as adrenocortical steroids, both naturally occurring and synthetic, that are readily absorbed from the stomach and intestines.
- Prednisone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine that works like the adrenocortical (adrenal gland) steroids the body makes naturally
- Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim
An antibacterial combination of two medicines: a sulfonamide antimicrobial and a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor antibacterial.
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Immunosuppression” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “immunosuppression”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.