الفهرس 
Recognising the Immunocompromised PatientOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
An immunocompromised host is a patient with defects in host defenses that predispose to infection. Risk factors include neutropenia, immune system defects (from disease or immunosuppressive drug therapy), compromise of natural host defenses, environmental contamination, and changes in normal flora of the host.
Immunocompromised patients are at high risk for a variety of bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal infections. Bacterial infections caused by gram-positive cocci (staphylococci and streptococci) occur most frequently, followed by gram-negative bacterial infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fungal infections caused by Candida and Aspergillus, as well as certain viral infections (herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus [CMV]), are also important causes of morbidity and mortality.
Risk of infection in neutropenic patients is associated with both the severity and duration of neutropenia. Patients with severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 500 cells/mm3 [<0.5 × 109/L]) for greater than 7 to 10 days are considered to be at high risk of infection.