Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common infection diagnosed in intensive care units (ICUs). VAP is defined as pneumonia that occurs 48 hours or more after endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy, caused by infectious agents not present or incubating at the time mechanical ventilation was started. 1 It can be of two types. Early-onset VAP, defined as occurring within the first 4...

BACKGROUND This study evaluates the bacterial pathogens of Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in a tertiary referral hospital. METHODS A total of 109 bacterial pathogens from 91 adult patients with VAP, who were admitted to the medical intensive care unit from January 2008 to December 2009, were examined. Clinical characteristics, bacterial pathogens, and resistance profiles were analyzed....

Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and is suggested to play a role in immune cell trafficking. It is not clear whether this effect is mediated by the oxidase activity or by other features of the protein such as direct adhesion. In order to study the role of VAP-1 oxidase activity in vivo, we have generated mice carrying an oxidas...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To prospectively identify the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in a community hospital, and to determine the risk factors for VAP and the influence of VAP on patient outcomes in a nonteaching institution. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING A medical ICU and a surgical ICU in a 500-bed private community nonteaching hospital: Missouri Baptist Hospital...

BACKGROUND Early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (EO-VAP) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in comatose patients. However, VAP prevention bundles focus mainly on late-onset VAP and may be less effective in preventing EO-VAP in comatose patients. Systemic antibiotic administration at the time of intubation may have a role in preventing EO-VAP. Therefore, we evaluated the effe...

PURPOSES The aim of this study was to determine the impact of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) on outcome in patients with COPD. METHODS Prospective, observational, case-control study conducted in a 30-bed ICU during a 5-year period. All COPD patients who required intubation and mechanical ventilation (MV) for > 48 h were eligible. VAP diagnosis was based on clinical, radiographic, and q...

BACKGROUND Pseudomonas aeruginosa frequently colonises intubated patients and causes life-threatening ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The role of quorum sensing (QS), regulating virulence in this pathogen, during colonisation and development of VAP is unknown. METHODS P aeruginosa isolates and tracheal aspirates were prospectively collected from intubated patients. Genotypes and QS-ind...

BACKGROUND Ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP) remains a significant problem within intensive care units (ICUs). There is a growing recognition of the impact of critical-illness-induced immunoparesis on the pathogenesis of VAP, but the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. We hypothesised that, because of limitations in their routine detection, Mycoplasmataceae are more prevalent among pat...

BACKGROUND Recent literature supports the notion that bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in ventilated trauma patients may improve our ability to diagnose and treat ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). We hypothesized that BAL would decrease the number of cases of VAP diagnosed and impact our antibiotic use and ventilator days. METHODS Prospective data on all infectious complications were collect...

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common infection in intensive care units (ICUs), and oral antiseptic is used as a preventive measure. We reviewed meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials indexed in the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases regarding the topical use of chlorhexidine in the prevention...