Overview

Approximately 60% of all hospital-associated infections, over one million cases per year, are due to biofilms that have formed on indwelling medical devices. Device-related biofilm infections increase hospital stays and add over one billion dollars/year to U.S. hospitalization costs. Since the use and the types of indwelling medical devices commonly used in modern healthcare are continuously expanding, especially with an aging population, the incidence of biofilm infections will also continue to rise. The central problem with microbial biofilm infections of foreign bodies is their propensity to resist clearance by the host immune system and all antimicrobial agents tested to date. In fact, compared to their free floating, planktonic counterparts, microbes within a biofilm are 50 – 500 times more resistant to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, achieving therapeutic and non-lethal dosing regimens within the human host is impossible. The end result is a conversion from an acute infection to one that is persistent, chronic, and recurrent, most often requiring device removal in order to eliminate the infection. This text will describe the major types of device-related infections, and will explain the host, pathogen, and the unique properties of their interactions in order to gain a better understanding of these recalcitrant infections.

Full Product Details

Author:   Mark Shirtliff ,  Jeff G. Leid
Publisher:   Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG
Imprint:   Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K
Edition:   Softcover reprint of hardcover 1st ed. 2009
Volume:   3
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.439kg
ISBN:  

9783642087790

ISBN 10:   3642087795
Pages:   272
Publication Date:   30 November 2010
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Microbial Ecology of Human Skin and Wounds.- Infections of Orthopaedic Implants and Devices.- Biofilms and Aseptic Loosening.- Biofilms and Ventilation.- Biofilm Formation on Natural Teeth and Dental Implants: What is the Difference?.- Complicated Urinary Tract Infections due to Catheters.- Biofilms in Hemodialysis.- Bacterial Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery.- Use of Immunodiagnostics for the Early Detection of Biofilm Infections.- Immune Responses to Indwelling Medical Devices.

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