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Viral Infections in the Intensive Care Unit

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Best 2022 Clinical Cases in Intensive Care Medicine

Part of the book series: Lessons from the ICU ((LEICU))

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Abstract

Acute viral infections are a common reason for admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Among them, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), and herpesviruses are most frequently reported in critically ill setting, leading to potential life-threatening complications. Although combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) and adequate medical care have substantially improved the prognosis of HIV infection, opportunistic infections and other complications may require organ support in the ICU. Vaccination strategies and improved specific therapy may improve the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infections, but the cornerstone of therapy remains supportive care of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The herpesviruses family also plays an important role in the ICU, causing encephalitis, pneumonia, gastrointestinal involvement, and skin lesions. Immunosuppressed patients are more susceptible to complicated viral infections, and these viruses may reactivate in patients with a state of immunoparalysis, which is at higher risk of unfavorable outcomes. The aim of this chapter is to briefly characterize the most common viral infections in the ICU, their management, and treatment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León (SACYL), Valladolid, Spain

    David Pérez-Torres

  2. Anesthesia and Intensive Care, San Martino Policlinico Hospital, IRCCS for Oncology and Neurosciences, Genoa, Italy

    Denise Battaglini

  3. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    Kristina Fuest

Authors
  1. David Pérez-Torres
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  2. Denise Battaglini
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  3. Kristina Fuest
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Pérez-Torres .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Valladolid, Spain

    David Pérez-Torres

  2. Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Intensive Care Medicine Department, Barcelona, Spain

    María Martínez-Martínez

  3. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CCM/CVK), Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany

    Stefan J. Schaller

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Pérez-Torres, D., Battaglini, D., Fuest, K. (2023). Viral Infections in the Intensive Care Unit. In: Pérez-Torres, D., Martínez-Martínez, M., Schaller, S.J. (eds) Best 2022 Clinical Cases in Intensive Care Medicine. Lessons from the ICU. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36398-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36398-6_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-36397-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-36398-6

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