Hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) is the most frequent infection acquired in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). ICU-related respiratory infections arise as a consequence of the processes of ICU care. Mechanical ventilation (MV) is potentially lifesaving, but also carries microorganisms into the lower airways, changing the native flora, and increasing the risk of Ventilator-Associated Tracheobronchitis (VAT) and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP).
Completed project
Data concerning the characteristics of respiratory microbiota and its alterations in illness are largely limited to the respiratory microbial flora of patients with cystic fibrosis, and little is known about airway microbiota alterations in critical illness. We published the most comprehensive study on this topic, and found that mechanical ventilation, but not antibiotic administration, was associated with changes in the respiratory microbiome.
With funding from JPIAMR, we will empower a multinational team to develop common surveillance methods and monitoring approaches to build a global study of the lung microbiome in critical illness, and its associations with modifiable environmental colonisation and pneumonia in the individual patient.
Network partners
- Ignacio Martin-Loeches, Trinity College, Ireland (Coordinator)
This network includes 17 partners, please click on the following link to see complete network composition: Network composition Intensive Care Airway and Lung Microbiome Network ICALM Network (ICALM)
Popular summary
The current research needs a boost of open-source information to identify potential countries were healthcare problems are currently highly visible by government and non-government parties. The current network helped to become a tool for healthcare industry stakeholders in infection outbreaks for multi drug resistant pathogens. Stakeholders in the healthcare industry include customers/patients, employees/healthcare providers, creditors, shareholders and the government. The aim to have a multidisciplinary common field for primary stakeholders and end-users for the ICALM Network and members of InFACT networks. In addition, our findings were of relevance to translational research in critical care and clinical microbiologist, to public health decision-makers, and a partnership with academia and industry.
Our findings were disseminated using a twofold strategy:
– White paper on the scope of the problem under the JPIAMR acknowledgement, and the research agenda vision in the peer reviewed biomedical literature. Visibility was enhanced by publication in an open access journal such as Critical Care Journal
– World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (the PI is part of the WFSICCM council), to present our awareness activities and meetings during the 2019 World Congress of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine in Melbourne Australia
Project resources
Publications
- Crit Care, 2020. The importance of airway and lung microbiome in the critically ill
- Intensive Care Medicine, 2020. Antibiotic prophylaxis in the ICU: to be or not to be administered for patients undergoing procedures?
- Intensive Care Medicine, 2019. The association of cardiovascular failure with treatment for ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infection
