There is a difference between suppressing the immune system and compromising it, and the articles talk about suppression, not compromise. If the WBCs are very low, as can occur in some CMLers on Gleevec, then it is suppressed and somewhat more susceptible to a virus or bacteria, but can still respond when a virus or bacteria invades the body by making new WBCs in sufficient quantity. This is demonstrated when we get sick and have a CBC done, that CBC shows higher WBC levels. If an immune system is compromised, the body does not have the ability to make sufficient new WBCs when a virus or bacteria invades the body. If Gleevec truly compromised the immune system, we would all need to live in a bubble. I think this distinction is important because we do not need to endlessly worry that Gleevec makes us weak and vulnerable to all sorts of dire consequences. We can live a rather normal life, and not live in constant fear that we might have a compromised immune system that is unable to respond when needed.
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