Critical care practitioners are often the initial providers of care to seriously ill patients with infections. This book provides clinicians practicing in the intensive care unit with a reference to help guide their care of infected patients. It brings together a group of international authors to address important topics related to infectious diseases for the critical care practitioner.
Infections in intensive care is a very broad topic, and this book provides concise yet comprehensive coverage. It focuses on the appropriate and judicious use of microbiological, radiological and point-of-care tests in diagnostic work-ups and evidence-based management protocols. Moreover, it offers essential information on the diagnosis and management of commonly encountered infections in the intensive care unit, making it a handy ready-reference manual for intensivists.
This book provides unique insights into the issues that drive modified dosing regimens for antibiotics in the critically ill. Leading international authors provide their commentary alongside a summary of existing evidence on how to effectively dose antibiotics. Severe infection frequently necessitates admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Equally, nosocomial sepsis often complicates the clinical course in ICU. Early, appropriate application of antibiotic therapy remains a cornerstone of effective management. However, this is challenging in the critical care environment, given the significant changes in patient physiology and organ function frequently encountered. Being cognisant of these factors, prescribers need to consider modified dosing regimens, not only to ensure adequate drug exposure, and therefore the greatest chance of clinical cure, but also to avoid encouraging drug resistance.
Intensive care is a rapidly changing area of medicine, and after four years from the 2nd edition the volume editors and authors have deemed necessary to update it. In the recent years, in fact, five new randomised controlled trials and five new meta-analyses demonstrate that selective decontamination of the digestive tract [SDD] is an antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent severe infections of not only lower airways but also of blood. Additionally, SDD has been shown to reduce inflammation including multiple organ failure and mortality. An intriguing observation is the evidence that SDD using parenteral and enteral antimicrobials reduces rather than increases antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, a new chapter on microcirculation had been added. The volume will be an invaluable tool for all those requiring in depth knowledge in the ever expanding field of infection control.
This book explains the basic concepts of Selective Decontamination of the Digestive tract (SDD) to help those involved in treating critically ill patients to improve outcomes and the quality of care. SDD has led to major changes in our understanding, the treatment and prevention of infections in critically ill patients over the past 40 years. It is the most studied intervention in intensive care medicine and is the subject of 73 randomized controlled trials, including over 15000 patients and 15 meta-analyses. SDD reduces morbidity and mortality, is cost-effective and safe as SDD does not increase antimicrobial resistance. Correct application of the SDD strategy enables ICU teams to control infections – even in ICUs with endemic antibiotic resistant microorganisms such as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Describing the concept and application of SDD, and presenting case studies and microbiological flow charts, this practical guide will appeal to intensivists, critical care practitioners, junior doctors, microbiologists and ICU-nurses as well as infection control specialists and pharmacists.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of highly infectious diseases (HIDs) in the ICU. The text is designed to help critical care specialists and other healthcare practitioners prepare and plan for potential outbreaks of emerging or resurgent HIDs, lead a team in the ICU, perform emergency triage, and provide care for patients with a HID. The book also reviews some of the most prevalent highly infectious diseases, including influenza, SARS, plague, anthrax, and malaria. Written by experts in the field, Highly Infectious Diseases in Critical Care: A Comprehensive Clinical Guide is a valuable resource for critical care and infectious disease specialists who treat patients afflicted with a highly infectious disease in the ICU.
This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. It constitutes a unique source of knowledge and guidance for all healthcare workers who care for patients with sepsis and septic shock in resource-limited settings. More than eighty percent of the worldwide deaths related to sepsis occur in resource-limited settings in low and middle-income countries. Current international sepsis guidelines cannot be implemented without adaptations towards these settings, mainly because of the difference in local resources and a different spectrum of infectious diseases causing sepsis. This prompted members of the Global Intensive Care working group of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU, Bangkok, Thailand) - among which the Editors – to develop with an international group of experts a comprehensive set of recommendations for the management of sepsis in resource-limited settings. Recommendations are based on both current scientific evidence and clinical experience of clinicians working in resource-limited settings. The book includes an overview chapter outlining the current challenges and future directions of sepsis management as well as general recommendations on the structure and organization of intensive care services in resource-limited settings. Specific recommendations on the recognition and management of patients with sepsis and septic shock in these settings are grouped into seven chapters. The book provides evidence-based practical guidance for doctors in low and middle income countries treating patients with sepsis, and highlights areas for further research and discussion.
Fungal infections are an increasing problem in critically ill patients and these infections carry an attributable mortality that is much higher than corresponding bacterial infections. In both Europe and North America, Candida infections predominate and much of this book concentrates on the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of these infections. Particular reference is made to the cross-infection problems of Candida infection and the importance of infection control and preventative measures. However, other fungal infections are increasingly being seen in critically ill patients. This book is designed to offer a European and North American perspective on each topic. There are many similarities in experience and clinical practice but also significant differences that we hope will stimulate further thought and study. We hope the book will be of interest to intensivists, infectious disease specialists, medical microbiologists, and all those with an involvement in critical care. Progress in intensive care medicine is resulting in a growing population of critically ill patients at risk of fungal infection. Further improvements in survival will require a multidisciplinary approach.
Thoroughly revised and updated for its Fourth Edition, this highly acclaimed volume is the most comprehensive reference on hospital epidemiology and infection control. Written by over 150 leading experts, this new edition examines every type of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infection and addresses every issue relating to surveillance, prevention, and control of these infections in patients and in healthcare workers. This new edition features new or significantly increased coverage of emerging infectious diseases, avian influenza, governmental regulation of infection control and payment practices related to hospital-acquired infections, molecular epidemiology, the increasing prevalence of community-acquired MRSA in healthcare facilities, system-wide infection control provisions for healthcare systems, hospital infection control issues following natural disasters, and antimicrobial stewardship in reducing the development of antimicrobial-resistant organisms.
