Question

The client was surprised when the nurse performing an assessment of risk for infection asked about family history of infections. Which characteristic of heredity would affect the current generation's risk of infections?

1) Having a family history of cardiovascular disease
2) Having a family tendency for obesity in childhood
3) Having a genetic susceptibility to certain infections
4) Having an allergic reaction to particular antibiotics

Answer 1

The characteristic of heredity that affects infection risk is having a genetic susceptibility to certain infections, inherited from family members.

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristic of heredity that would affect the current generation's risk of infections is having a genetic susceptibility to certain infections. Many human diseases, including some infectious diseases, are genetically inherited. A person with a family history indicating that close relatives have suffered from certain infections may have inherited genes that could increase their own susceptibility to these infections. The hygiene hypothesis also suggests this relationship, proposing that exposure to pathogens in childhood, which can be influenced by family size and behaviour, can affect immune system development and influence susceptibility to allergies and infections.