immunocompromised host


im·mu·no·com·pro·mised host

(im'yū-nō-kom'prŏ-mīzd hōst) A person whose immune system's defenses have been weakened by exposure to disease, drugs, or radiotherapy.

host

(host) [L. hospes, stranger, guest, host] 1. The organism from which a parasite obtains its nourishment.2. In embryology, the larger and more relatively normal of conjoined twins.3. In transplantation of tissue, the one who receives the graft.

accidental host

A host other than the usual or normal one.

alternate host

Intermediate host (1).

compromised host

A person who lacks resistance to infection due to to a deficiency in any of the host defenses. See: AIDS; host defense mechanisms; immunocompromised

dead-end host

An infected organism that does not have the ability to transmit infection to the definitive host. Synonym: incidental host

definitive host

1. The final host or the host in which the parasite reaches sexual maturity. Synonym: final host2. The vertebrate, when the intermediate host is an invertebrate.

final host

Definitive host (1).

immunocompromised host

See: immunocompromised

incidental host

Dead-end host.

intermediate host

1. The host in which a parasite passes through its larval or asexual stages of development. Synonym: alternate host2. The invertebrate host, when the final host is a vertebrate.

paratenic host

A parasitized organism in which the parasite thrives but does not undergo development.

host of predilection

The host preferred by a parasite.

reservoir host

A host other than the usual or normal one, in which a parasite is capable of living. The reservoir host is a source of infestation.

transfer host

An interim host that is not essential for the completion of the life cycle of the parasite.