factors predisposing to infection

Introduction

Risk factors predisposing to patients

• neutropenia:
  • especially lymphoma patients after chemotherapy
• altered cellular immunity
• humoral immunity dysfunction
• alteration in local defenses
  • breakdown of skin
    • trauma
    • vasculitis
    • malignancy: head & neck (squamous cell carcinoma)
    • bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
      • Streptococcus pyogenes
      • Pseudomonas aeruginosa (burns)
  • compromise in mucosal barrier (mucositis)
    • Streptococcus mitis
  • occlusion of orifices: ureters, bile duct, colon
    • malignancy: renal, ovarian, biliary, metastatic
    • urinary tract infections & septicemia
    • gram negative bacteria
  • lymph node dissection
    • cellulitis due to Staphylococcus & Streptococcus
• splenectomy
• indwelling devices
  • endotracheal tube
  • central venous catheter
  • foley catheter
• metabolic acidosis
  • associated conditions
    • diabetes mellitus
    • acute myelocytic leukemia
  • common pathogens
    • bacteria
      • Pseudomonas aeruginosa (malignant external otitis)
    • fungi: Zygomycetes (mucormycosis)
• hyperalimentation
  • associated conditions
    • trauma
    • abdominal surgery
  • common pathogens
    • bacteria
      • coagulase-negative Staphylococcus
      • Staphylococcus aureus
    • fungi
      • Candida
      • Malassezia furfur
• intravenous drug abuse
• cirrhosis of the liver

More general terms

• predisposition (susceptibility)

More specific terms

• susceptibility to mycobacterial disease

Additional terms

• cirrhosis
• immunodeficiency; immunodeficiency syndrome
• intravenous drug abuse (IVDA, injection drug use, IDU)
• neutropenia
• splenectomy