INFECTIONS AND ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE IN NURSING-HOMES

Infections occur frequently in nursing home residents. The most common infections are pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and skin and soft tissue infection. Aging-associated physiologic and pathologic changes, functional disability institutionalization, and invasive devices all contribute to the high occurrence of infection. Antimicrobial agent us e in nursing homes is intense and usually empiric. All of these factor s contribute to the increasing frequency of antimicrobial agent-resist ant organisms in nursing homes. Programs that will limit the emergence and impact of antimicrobial resistance and infections in nursing home s need to be developed.