Abstract
Infections in the immunocompromised host occur because of immune defects and epidemiological influences. They are often referred to as opportunistic infections, but many are caused by organisms, such as the pneumococcus, that infect apparently immunologically normal individuals. The infections are usually more severe in the immunocompromised host. There are, in addition, certain organisms such as Pneumocystis carinii that only infect immunocompromised individuals. In this paper, a clinical approach to the immunocompromised host is presented along with some selected features concerning therapy. With the exception of a few general references, the literature cited here reflects our experience at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
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References
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P.A. Pizzo, K.J. Robichaud, F.A. Gill, F.G. Witebsky, A.S. Levine, A.B. Deisseroth, P.L. Glaubiger, J.D. Maclowry, I.T. Magrath, D.G. Poplack, and R.M. Simon, Duration of empiric antibiotic therapy in granulocytopenic patients with cancer, Amer.J.Med. 67:194–200 (1979).
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© 1986 Plenum Press, New York
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Armstrong, D. (1986). Epidemiologic and Clinical Aspects of Opportunistic Infections. In: Actor, P., Evangelista, A., Poupard, J., Hinks, E. (eds) Infections in the Immunocompromised Host. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 202. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1259-8_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1259-8_1
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