ABSTRACT
Hospital-acquired infections are one of the most important challenges to patient safety,
especially in critical care units. The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics results frequently
in multidrug-resistant pathogens. Therefore, we are attending to increased rates of
multidrug-resistant microorganisms, especially gram-negative bacilli, that have been
associated with prolonged hospital stays, higher costs, and increased mortality. The
most important multidrug-resistant pathogens are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. There has been an important but as yet unsuccessful effort to develop new drugs
to treat these pathogens. Nevertheless, old, very well known drugs, such as polymyxins,
administered intravenously and aerosolized, have been revisited. Future options include
immunotherapy or the continuous infusion of antibiotics. It is also important to emphasize
the rational use of antibiotics to diminish the appearance of multiresistant pathogens.
KEYWORDS
Multiresistant nonfermenting bacilli -
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
-
Acinetobacter baumannii
- health-associated infections - cystic fibrosis - pneumonia
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Anna SánchezM.D.
Critical Care Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital
Passeig Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
eMail: ana_sanchez_corral@hotmail.com
