Recurrent infections
Infections keep coming back.The pattern matters.
Repeated infections do not automatically mean that your immune system is weak. Start with the pattern. How often do they happen? How ill do they make you? Where do they occur? Do they clear with the usual treatment? Also note any medicines or health conditions that could affect infection risk. [1]
When do repeated infections deserve a closer look?
Occasional infections are common, and several can happen close together after repeated exposure. A pattern deserves more attention when infections are severe, unusual, keep returning, last longer than expected or do not clear with the usual treatment. Adult immunology guidance asks clinicians to record how often infections occur, how they respond to treatment and what laboratory tests found. A simple count is not enough to make a diagnosis. [1]
Some patterns need a closer look. Examples include serious or deep infections, pneumonia that keeps returning, persistent thrush, poor response to antibiotics, infections that need treatment through a vein, or a family history of an immune deficiency. These signs are reasons for medical review. They do not prove that you have an immune disorder. [1]
An infection that repeatedly needs hospital care is important. So is an infection that needs antibiotics through a vein, lasts despite treatment or does not clear as expected. This pattern is different from several ordinary colds that settle on their own.
If infections keep returning in the same place, the cause may be local. The problem may sit in that organ or body area rather than in the immune system as a whole.
Medicines, diabetes, recent illness, exposure, nutrition and other health conditions can change infection risk.
Recurrent infection has more than one possible explanation.
An immune problem is one possible cause, but it is not the only one. Specialist guidance also asks doctors to consider medicines, blood disorders and loss of immune proteins. Repeated exposure, a local problem in one part of the body, and conditions such as diabetes can matter too. [1] [3]
| Factor | What it can change | Useful information to bring |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure | Work, school-age children, travel and household contacts can increase exposure to common infections. | When episodes happened and whether others around you were ill. |
| Local anatomy | A repeated infection in one organ system can need a site-specific assessment rather than an immune panel. | The exact site, cultures, imaging or specialist letters if available. |
| Blood glucose | Type 2 diabetes can be associated with recurrent thrush and delayed wound healing, especially when blood glucose is high. [4] | Previous glucose or HbA1c results and symptoms such as thirst or frequent urination. |
| Medicines | Corticosteroids and immunosuppressant medicines can increase susceptibility to infection. [2] [5] | A current prescription and supplement list, including recent courses of steroids. |
| Immune disorders | Primary or secondary immunodeficiency can cause recurrent, severe, unusual or treatment-resistant infection, but it requires clinical investigation. [3] | Infection frequency, organism results, response to antibiotics and family history. |
There is no single screening test for a “weak immune system”.
There is no single screening test that can tell you whether your immune system is “weak”. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust says testing should be chosen for the individual case. In some people, doctors may start by measuring immunoglobulins, which are antibodies in the blood. Other tests may be more useful when the pattern points elsewhere. [3]
This is why a large test panel is not always a useful first step. Start with a clear question. A test should have a reason, and its result should be able to change the next decision. If testing is being considered, the functional medicine testing and diagnostics guide explains Dr Stavy’s question-led approach.
Medicines are part of the infection history.
Some medicines reduce immune activity on purpose. NHS guidance says medicines such as methotrexate, azathioprine and prednisolone can make infections more likely. Tell the clinician if you take a steroid, an immunosuppressant or a biologic medicine. [5]
Do not stop prescribed treatment on your own because infections have returned. Whether a medicine should be paused or changed depends on the drug, the infection and the condition being treated. Ask the clinician who prescribes it or your specialist team.
A medicine list can be as useful as a test list.
Bring prescription medicines, recent steroid courses, injections and supplements. Include the start date if you know it and whether the infection pattern changed after treatment began.
What should you record before a medical review?
You do not need to decide whether you have an immune disorder. A simple infection history can make the next step clearer. It helps the clinician judge whether the pattern fits repeated exposure, a local problem, another health condition, a medicine effect or a possible immune disorder. It can also show when specialist advice is needed.
- What type of infection was diagnosed and which part of the body was affected.
- How often episodes occur and whether they are becoming more severe.
- Whether cultures or other microbiology identified an organism.
- Which treatment was used and whether the infection responded normally.
- Any hospital admissions or need for intravenous antibiotics.
- Persistent thrush, deep abscesses or unusual infections.
- Current medicines, recent steroids and known long-term conditions.
- Relevant family history and previous immune or blood-test results.
What patients say about the consultation experience.
Patient reviews can help you understand how a consultation feels. They do not show why infections are recurring or prove that a particular investigation or treatment will work. These short excerpts come from Dr Stavy’s existing public Google review profile.
Individual reviews reflect personal experiences and do not predict your diagnosis, treatment response or outcome.
“patient, understanding and kind”
Google reviewer
“warm and compassionate bedside manner”
Google reviewer
“takes incredible care to get to know her patients”
Google reviewer
Questions about recurrent infections
Do recurrent infections mean I have an immune deficiency?
No. Recurrent infection can have many explanations. Immunodeficiency becomes more important to consider when infections are severe, unusual, persistent, difficult to treat or associated with other warning features. A clinician should assess the pattern rather than diagnosing immune deficiency from frequency alone. [1] [3]
What information helps a doctor assess recurrent infections?
Record the type and site of each infection, how often it occurred, any microbiology result, the treatment used and how well it worked. Include hospital admissions, intravenous antibiotics, current medicines, long-term conditions and family history. Specialist immunology referral guidance specifically asks for infection frequency, treatment response and microbiology results. [1]
Can diabetes be linked with repeated infections?
Yes, diabetes can be associated with some recurrent infections. NHS guidance lists repeated thrush among possible symptoms of type 2 diabetes and also notes delayed wound healing. Recurrent infection does not diagnose diabetes, but symptoms such as thirst, frequent urination or unexplained weight loss are reasons to discuss blood-glucose testing with a clinician. [4]
Can medicines make infections more likely?
Yes. Medicines that suppress immune activity, including some corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and biologic treatments, can increase infection risk. Do not stop prescribed medicine by yourself. Tell the responsible clinician about the infection and ask whether the treatment needs any temporary or longer-term adjustment. [5]
Should I have an immune-system test panel?
Not automatically. Specialist immunology guidance states that there is no single screening test for immune deficiency. The infection pattern and medical history determine which tests, if any, are useful. Testing should answer a defined clinical question rather than being used as a blanket search for a hidden cause. [3]
When is an infection an emergency rather than a recurrent-infection problem?
Seek emergency help if you are very unwell and sepsis is possible, especially with very fast breathing, confusion, slurred speech, blue, pale or blotchy skin, or a non-fading rash. NHS guidance says sepsis can develop quickly and needs urgent hospital treatment. Call 999 or go to A&E rather than waiting for a routine assessment. [2]
Medical sources and further reading
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust: Clinical Immunology and Allergy referral guidance. Covers infection history, specialist warning patterns and secondary causes to consider.
- NHS: Sepsis. Covers adult sepsis symptoms and emergency routes. Page last reviewed 14 May 2026.
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust: Infection and immunity. Covers primary and secondary immunodeficiency and the limits of screening tests.
- NHS: Symptoms of type 2 diabetes and diagnosis. Covers recurrent thrush, delayed wound healing and blood-glucose testing.
- NHS: Methotrexate; NHS: Azathioprine; and NHS: Prednisolone. These medicine pages explain that immunosuppressive treatment can increase infection risk.
Repeated infections deserve a pattern, not a label.
If infections keep returning, write down what happened and how treatment worked. Include medicines and health conditions that may affect risk. A medical review can then decide whether you need reassurance, a test for one body area, targeted blood tests or specialist advice.