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Diet and Nutrition in Critical Care pp 131–142Cite as

Extent and Nature of Infectious Diseases in Critical Care

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Abstract

Critically ill patients often display a systemic inflammatory response due to the presence of a catabolic stress state. Physical barriers are commonly altered in critical illness, presenting an opportunity for microorganisms to enter the body. Invasive devices or procedures compromise the body’s natural barrier functions in critically ill patients, leading to risk of infection. Altered host defense mechanisms can predispose critically ill patients to infections due to the presence of endotracheal tubes, arterial or venous catheters, urinary catheters, and broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure. Treatment of infections can be difficult in critically ill patients due to increased resistance to common antimicrobial agents. Preventative strategies are crucial to reducing the prevalence of infection in health-care institutions. This chapter provides an overview of the epidemiology, microbiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of four major infectious problems in critical illness: pneumonia, urinary tract infection, bloodstream infection, and antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal infections.

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Abbreviations

BSI:

Bloodstream infections

CAUTI:

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection

CDI:

Clostridium difficile infections

CRBSIs:

Catheter-related bloodstream infections

FMT:

Fecal microbiota transplant

HLA-DR:

Human leukocyte antigen-DR

ICU:

Intensive care unit

MDR:

Multidrug resistant

NAP1/BI/027:

Toxinotype III REA type BI, PCR ribotype 027, pulsed-field type NAP-1

PO:

By mouth

QID:

Four times daily

TID:

Three times daily

UTIs:

Urinary tract infections

VAP:

Ventilator-associated pneumonia

WBC:

White blood cell

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy, 525 S. Main Street, Ada, Ohio, 45810, USA

    Steven J. Martin

  2. Department of Pharmacy, Promedica Flower Hospital, 5200 Haroun Road, Sylvania, Ohio, 43560, USA

    Celeste A. Sejnowski

Authors
  1. Steven J. Martin
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  2. Celeste A. Sejnowski
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven J. Martin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Free London Hospitals, Barnet General Hospital, London, UK

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  2. Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  3. King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  4. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Victor R. Preedy

  5. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood B. Patel

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Martin, S.J., Sejnowski, C.A. (2015). Extent and Nature of Infectious Diseases in Critical Care. In: Rajendram, R., Preedy, V.R., Patel, V.B. (eds) Diet and Nutrition in Critical Care. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7836-2_140

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7836-2_140

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7837-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7836-2

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