Infection in the immunocompromised patient

Most patients in critical care have host defense defects ranging from minor, trivial ones to substantial ones that profoundly increase the risk of infectious disease. Multiple defects, which may interact to further enhance the risk, are often found in the same patient. This chapter explains host defense defects likely to occur in critical care. The goals for the intensivist should be to minimize infection risk, recognize and diagnose infectious diseases that occur, and manage infections promptly and efficiently.