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Infection in the elderly

Tin Han Htwe1, Adnan Mushtaq, Sherry B Robinson

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Post Box 19636, Springfield, IL 62794-9636, USA.

Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
|September 11, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Aging increases infectious disease risk in the elderly due to immunologic changes. Careful antimicrobial selection is vital, considering drug interactions and common infections in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Aging leads to functional, demographic, and immunologic changes.
  • These changes increase the incidence and severity of infections in the elderly.
  • Age-related organ system alterations complicate disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the challenges in managing infectious diseases in the elderly.
  • To emphasize the importance of considering comorbidities and polypharmacy in treatment decisions.
  • To identify common infections prevalent in the older adult population.

Main Methods:

  • Review of age-associated physiological and immunological shifts.
  • Analysis of common infectious disease patterns in the elderly.
  • Consideration of pharmacological challenges in geriatric antimicrobial therapy.

Main Results:

  • Increased susceptibility to infections due to immunosenescence.
  • Complicated treatment regimens due to multiple medications and potential drug interactions.
  • High prevalence of skin/soft tissue, urinary tract, respiratory, and gastrointestinal infections.

Conclusions:

  • Effective management requires a comprehensive approach addressing age-specific vulnerabilities.
  • Antimicrobial therapy must be carefully selected to avoid adverse events and drug interactions.
  • Organized, well-funded programs are essential to improve infectious disease care for the elderly.

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