Immunocompromised patients with lung infection: assessing host specificities

Abstract

The number of patients living with immune deficiency has been dramatically increased. Nevertheless, these patients may experience several life-threatening complications warranting admission to the intensive care unit. Respiratory infection remains the leading cause of admission with high reported mortality rates. One could distinguish primary and secondary immunodeficiency disorders. Secondary immunodeficiency disorders are the most frequent ones with the development of new treatments such as targeted therapies. Various infectious disorders may occur with special attention for opportunistic pathogens and latent infection reactivation. Diagnostic strategy gets leading by immunodeficiency condition, prophylaxis, clinical presentation, and radiologic pattern. This drives choices in empiric treatment and diagnosis tools. Physicians must bear in mind that failure to identify the etiology of pulmonary involvement is associated with higher mortality.