Infectious morbidity in critically ill patients with cancer.
Infection frequently complicates the course of cancer treatment and often adversely affects the outcome. Patients have a greater tendency for acquiring infections caused by opportunistic microorganisms. Agents with low virulence potential may lead to invasive and often life-threatening infections because of altered host immune function. The immune dysfunction may be caused by the underlying malignancy, by antineoplastic chemotherapy, or by invasive procedures during supportive care.
Safdar
A
A
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. safdar@richmed.medpark.sc.edu
Armstrong
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D
D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D009017:Morbidity; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy