Dialysis patients are more likely to become infected with germs like MRSA because they have what?

• A. They are elderly
• B. They have poor nutrition
• C. They have weak immune systems
• D. They do not wash hands

Answer: (C)

When infection risk rises, it’s because the immune system isn’t able to mount a strong defense. Dialysis patients often have weakened immune systems due to kidney failure and the effects of uremia, plus the dialysis process itself, which can impair immune cell function. Add in frequent vascular access and more time in healthcare settings, and germs like MRSA have more opportunities to enter the body and establish an infection. So the intrinsic vulnerability from a compromised immune system best explains why dialysis patients are more prone to MRSA infections. While age, nutrition, and hand hygiene matter, they don’t explain the heightened susceptibility as directly as immune suppression does.