Final answer:
Immunodeficiency is a failure, insufficiency, or delay in the response of the immune system, allowing pathogens to overwhelm the body. It can be acquired or inherited and may result from infection or other factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immunodeficiency is a failure, insufficiency, or delay in the response of the immune system, which may be acquired or inherited. Immunodeficiency can allow pathogens or tumor cells to gain a foothold and replicate or proliferate to high enough levels so that the immune system becomes overwhelmed. It can be acquired as a result of infection with certain pathogens, chemical exposure, malnutrition, or extreme stress. Rarely, primary immunodeficiencies that are present from birth may also occur, such as severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID).