Lymphopenia Living With

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Learn what to watch for and how to manage your condition to avoid health problems.

Lymphopenia can lead to unusual, repeated, and persistent infections. Some rare but serious infections, like sepsis sepsis (SEP-sis):
A serious illness that results when the body has an overwhelming immune response to a bacterial infection. This response triggers the release of chemicals into the blood stream, which triggers inflammation to fight infection. The inflammation can damage organs and their systems. and endocarditis, can be life threatening.

Lymphopenia can also raise your risk of developing allergies and other medical conditions like certain cancer cancer (KAN-ser):
Diseases in which cells divide more than they should. Cancer cells can spread to nearby tissues or to other parts of the body through the blood or other systems. Also known as malignancy. and autoimmune autoimmune (AW-toh-ih-MYOON):
A term describing cells and antibodies that a person’s body makes to attack its own tissues, as happens in autoimmune diseases. diseases. To prevent this, it is important to get treatment for any infections you may have. You can also talk to your provider about setting up a plan for regular cancer screening tests and ways to prevent certain cancers.

Treat and prevent infections

The main risk of lymphopenia is getting unusual infections, repeat infections, or infections that won't go away. If you have the disorder, you may get treatments to prevent infections or to treat infections you already have.

You also can take other steps to prevent infections.

• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Avoid large crowds of people.
• Avoid foods that can expose you to bacteria bacteria (bak-TEER-ee-uh):
  Living organisms that have only one cell. Most bacteria are harmless; however, some types of bacteria cause infections and disease in people. When bacteria cause infections or disease, doctors prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection. The singular form of “bacteria” is “bacterium.” , such as raw or uncooked meat, poultry, or shellfish, or raw milk.
• Wash your hands often.
• Brush and floss your teeth and get regular dental care to lower the risk of infection in your mouth and throat.
• Ask your provider about vaccines, such as whether you should get a yearly flu shot, COVID-19 vaccine, and the pneumonia vaccine.
• Talk to your healthcare team before having surgery. Surgery can raise your risk of infection.
• Talk with your provider about what types of physical activity are safe for you. They may advise you to avoid activities that could result in injuries or increase your risk of infections.
• Know the signs of an infection, such as a fever. Call your provider right away if you think you have an infection.