Recognition and Management of Infectious Biothreats and Emerging Pathogens

Emerging and high-consequence infectious diseases pose substantial critical care challenges because of diagnostic uncertainty and limited targeted medical countermeasures. Presentations are nonspecific, and patients can rapidly progress to shock, ARDS, or multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. Because these conditions can mimic common causes of sepsis or respiratory failure, management focuses on early, optimized supportive care (including volume resuscitation, ventilatory and oxygenation support, and management of potential coinfections), appropriate infection prevention and control practices (utilizing the identify-isolate-inform principles), and multidisciplinary care. Critical care clinicians should maintain heightened vigilance for atypical presentations and remain aware of available diagnostic methods, vaccines, and therapeutics.