An infection that develops as a result of the person's weakened body defenses is considered what type of infection?

• A. Nosocomial
• B. Opportunistic
• C. Autoimmune
• D. Viral

Answer: (B)

Opportunistic infections occur when the body's defenses are weakened, allowing microbes that usually wouldn’t cause illness to invade and multiply. This weakened state can result from illness, chemotherapy, immunosuppressive drugs, or other conditions that reduce immune function. The scenario described matches this idea, since the infection arises specifically because the body’s defenses are compromised. In contrast, nosocomial refers to infections acquired in a hospital, autoimmune means the immune system attacks the body's own tissues, and viral is a type of pathogen rather than a description of the host’s immune status. Therefore, the best answer is an opportunistic infection.