About this Research Topic
Given the success of Research Topic Infections in the Intensive Care Unit and the rapidly evolving subject area, we are pleased to announce the launch of Volume II.
Infectious disease is always a major problem in the intensive care unit (ICU), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the EPIC III study, it is revealed that almost half of the critically ill patients admitted to the ICU have infectious diseases. What’s more, if the infections are hospital-acquired or ICU-acquired, the pathogens are most likely to be multidrug resistance (MDR). Thus, the application of the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) and infection control program (ICP) is much more important.
With the development of laboratory medicine, some new diagnostic tools based on molecular detection have been invented in these years. Gene X-pert, FilmArray, and metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) are widely used in the ICU. Therefore, individualized diagnosis and precise treatment for critically ill patients with infectious diseases are recommended. In addition, more algorithms and prediction models have been developed based on machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) and many new antibiotics have also been approved in clinical practice. However, the mortality of sepsis or severe infectious diseases does not decrease significantly. Therefore, the strategies for diagnosing and treating infectious diseases need to be thought over again.
This Research Topic aims at gaining deep insight into the prospects of new detection technologies, new biomarkers, and new antimicrobial drugs application in infectious diseases in the ICU. What’s more, we also expect to further analyze antimicrobial drug selection, dose adjustment, and optimization of the treatment course in the current situation of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections in the ICU. For refractory multi-drug resistant bacterial infections or bacterial and fungal co-infections, it is also required to further analyze the real efficacy of antibiotics nebulization therapy or combination treatment, and how to implement a standardized process is also important. Moreover, we will further analyze the changes of host immune function and micro-ecological system during severe infections. In order to ultimately improve the clinical prognosis of infected patients in the ICU, joint efforts involving physicians from critical care medicine, infectious diseases, clinical pharmacy, and clinical microbiology are needed.
• Management of pneumonia (VAP/HAP) in the intensive care unit.
• Inhalation of antibiotics in patients with mechanical ventilation.
• Application of novel biomarkers (MDW etc.) in patients with infectious diseases in ICU.
• New molecular techniques (mNGS, X-pert, etc.) in ICU infection.
• New antibacterial agents application in ICU.
• Multidrug-resistant bacteria (CRO) treatment in the ICU.
• Current trends in epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance in the ICU.
• PK/PD monitoring in the ICU.
• Adverse effects of antibiotics in the ICU.
• Infections in immunocompromised hosts in the ICU.
• Invasive fungal disease in the ICU, duration of treatment and dose adjustment.
• Perioperative infection in the elderly in ICU.
• Infection in a special type (Burns, spinal cord injury) in the ICU.
• Application of Machine learning in prediction and treatment of sepsis.
• Active screening and management of multi-drug resistant bacteria in ICU.
• Antibiotic stewardship to avoid antibiotic misuse and contain the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in ICU.
• Gut Microbiota and infectious diseases in ICU patients.
• Co-infection between bacteria and fungi/viruses in the ICU.
Infectious disease is always a major problem in the intensive care unit (ICU), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the EPIC III study, it is revealed that almost half of the critically ill patients admitted to the ICU have infectious diseases. What’s more, if the infections are hospital-acquired or ICU-acquired, the pathogens are most likely to be multidrug resistance (MDR). Thus, the application of the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) and infection control program (ICP) is much more important.
With the development of laboratory medicine, some new diagnostic tools based on molecular detection have been invented in these years. Gene X-pert, FilmArray, and metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) are widely used in the ICU. Therefore, individualized diagnosis and precise treatment for critically ill patients with infectious diseases are recommended. In addition, more algorithms and prediction models have been developed based on machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) and many new antibiotics have also been approved in clinical practice. However, the mortality of sepsis or severe infectious diseases does not decrease significantly. Therefore, the strategies for diagnosing and treating infectious diseases need to be thought over again.
This Research Topic aims at gaining deep insight into the prospects of new detection technologies, new biomarkers, and new antimicrobial drugs application in infectious diseases in the ICU. What’s more, we also expect to further analyze antimicrobial drug selection, dose adjustment, and optimization of the treatment course in the current situation of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections in the ICU. For refractory multi-drug resistant bacterial infections or bacterial and fungal co-infections, it is also required to further analyze the real efficacy of antibiotics nebulization therapy or combination treatment, and how to implement a standardized process is also important. Moreover, we will further analyze the changes of host immune function and micro-ecological system during severe infections. In order to ultimately improve the clinical prognosis of infected patients in the ICU, joint efforts involving physicians from critical care medicine, infectious diseases, clinical pharmacy, and clinical microbiology are needed.
• Management of pneumonia (VAP/HAP) in the intensive care unit.
• Inhalation of antibiotics in patients with mechanical ventilation.
• Application of novel biomarkers (MDW etc.) in patients with infectious diseases in ICU.
• New molecular techniques (mNGS, X-pert, etc.) in ICU infection.
• New antibacterial agents application in ICU.
• Multidrug-resistant bacteria (CRO) treatment in the ICU.
• Current trends in epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance in the ICU.
• PK/PD monitoring in the ICU.
• Adverse effects of antibiotics in the ICU.
• Infections in immunocompromised hosts in the ICU.
• Invasive fungal disease in the ICU, duration of treatment and dose adjustment.
• Perioperative infection in the elderly in ICU.
• Infection in a special type (Burns, spinal cord injury) in the ICU.
• Application of Machine learning in prediction and treatment of sepsis.
• Active screening and management of multi-drug resistant bacteria in ICU.
• Antibiotic stewardship to avoid antibiotic misuse and contain the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in ICU.
• Gut Microbiota and infectious diseases in ICU patients.
• Co-infection between bacteria and fungi/viruses in the ICU.
Keywords: Infections, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
