Which of the following is a common contraindication for receiving a live vaccine?

Severe immunodeficiency is a well-established contraindication for receiving live vaccines because individuals with this condition have significantly weakened immune systems that may not be able to respond adequately to the live attenuated pathogens in the vaccine. The risk is that these individuals could develop the disease that the vaccine is meant to protect against, rather than merely receiving a harmless exposure that stimulates immunity.

Live vaccines contain a weakened form of the virus or bacteria that causes the disease, allowing the immune system to respond and create memory cells without causing the full-blown illness in healthy individuals. However, in those with severe immunodeficiency—whether due to conditions such as HIV/AIDS, certain cancers, or the effects of immunosuppressive drugs—the immune response may be too weak, leading to the possibility of contracting the disease itself.

Other options, while they may pose considerations for vaccination, do not universally contraindicate the use of live vaccines to the extent that severe immunodeficiency does.