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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by progressive airway inflammation and irreversible airflow limitation, leads to serious decline in life quality. The acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) results in high healthcare costs as well as a significant mortality rate. The most common cause of acute exacerbation is infection. Immune deficiency, which induces dysfunction of anti-infection, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute exacerbation. As described in this review, the immune dysfunction in patients with AECOPD can be a major focus of efforts to therapeutic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]