Ventilator-associated pneumonia

<p>Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a type of lung infection that occurs in people who are on <a href="/facts/Mechanical_ventilation/XSQ84JX9">mechanical ventilation</a> breathing machines in hospitals.  As such, VAP typically affects critically ill persons that are in an <a href="/facts/Intensive_care_unit/j77VBgtt">intensive care unit</a> (ICU) and have been on a mechanical ventilator for at least 48 hours. VAP is a major source of increased illness and death. Persons with VAP have increased lengths of ICU hospitalization and have up to a 20–30% death rate.  The diagnosis of VAP varies among hospitals and providers but usually requires a new infiltrate on chest x-ray plus two or more other factors. These factors include temperatures of >38 °C or <36 °C, a white blood cell count of >12 × 109/ml, purulent secretions from the airways in the lung, and/or reduction in gas exchange.
</p><p>A different less studied infection found in mechanically ventilated people is <a href="/facts/Tracheobronchitis/kBghu2xW">ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis</a> (VAT). As with VAP, tracheobronchial infection can colonise the trachea and travel to the bronchi. VAT may be a risk factor for VAP.
</p>

Ventilator-associated pneumonia open-in-new

Ventilator-associated pneumonia