Abstract
Intensive care units (ICUs) have contributed significantly to the outcome of patients with trauma, shock states, and other life-threatening conditions, but are associated with a greatly increased risk of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection. Rates of nosocomial infection in patients requiring >1 week of advanced life support within an ICU are 3-5-fold higher than in hospitalized patients who do not require ICU care, and approach 20–25%. Sepsis – occasionally from community-acquired infection, more often from infection acquired in the ICU – is the most frequent cause of multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome, and the leading cause of death in non-coronary care ICUs in the USA at the present time.
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Maki, D.G. (2008). Infection in the intensive care unit. In: Fink, M., Hayes, M., Soni, N. (eds) Classic Papers in Critical Care. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-145-9_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-145-9_13
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