Which patient population is at the highest risk for developing opportunistic fungal infections?

Immunocompromised individuals are at the highest risk for developing opportunistic fungal infections due to their weakened immune systems. This population includes patients with conditions such as HIV/AIDS, those undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, and individuals on long-term corticosteroid therapy. The compromised immune response means that their bodies are less able to fight off infections that a healthy immune system could typically handle.

In contrast, the elderly, while they may experience a decline in immune function, do not generally present as high a risk for opportunistic fungal infections unless they are also immunocompromised. Children with viral infections and healthy adults typically have functioning immune systems capable of combating these pathogens. Thus, immunocompromised individuals specifically represent a group with heightened susceptibility to infections caused by fungi that are normally non-pathogenic but can cause severe illness in those lacking adequate immune defenses.