Infection in the critically ill patient. Challenges for prevention, diagnosis and treatment

Medicina Intensiva is launching a new series of summaries that address specific topics of interest. In this summary we have grouped articles related to infection in critically ill patients, addressing infection both as the cause of critical illness and as a problem associated with patient care. Infectious disease poses a permanent challenge in the fight to secure patient health and survival in clinically delicate situations. This series of articles examines the complexity of these infections, highlighting the crucial importance of prevention, early diagnosis and adequate treatment in all cases, particularly in those situations characterized by the appearance of antibiotic resistance.

Infections in the critically ill not only add complexity to clinical management but can also have serious consequences if not dealt with quickly and precisely. Prevention, early detection and adequate treatment are the cornerstones for improving the prognosis and reducing the sequelae that subsequently impact the quality of life in these vulnerable individuals.

The summary focuses on different types of infections, different prevention and treatment strategies. It opens the door to possible future applications of artificial intelligence in the early identification of infections, the analysis of patterns, and the optimization of treatment, which are likely to greatly change how we address such critical situations in the future.