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Editors

JoukoLaurila

Infections in Old Age

Essentials

  • Cell-mediated immunity and part by also humoral immunity diminish in old age.
  • Possible long-term diseases and age-related physiological changes as well as immunosuppressive medications all impair defence mechanisms and make the diagnostics more difficult.
  • Typical symptoms of infections are often lacking or they are non-specific (e.g. difficulty in walking, confusion). Even mild infections may cause decompensation of some organ.
  • Attention should always be paid if a stable condition in an elderly person turns strange in some way, even if there is no deterioration of the general condition nor confusion.
  • Fever is often absent.

Pneumonia

Urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis

Gastrointestinal and intra-abdominal infections

  • Because the sense of visceral pain is decreased with ageing, acute appendicitis and biliary tract infections may be difficult to diagnose. They may silently lead to perforation or acute abdominal catastrophe.
  • Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are age-related diseases.
  • Plasma CRP and blood leukocyte count, repeated clinical examination and exclusion of infections affecting other organs and eventually abdominal CT scan help to reach the correct diagnosis.

Related Keywords

ATC Code:

J01CE01

G03CA03

G03CA04

J07BB02

J07AL01

J07AL02

J07AL52

J01CA04

J01EA01

J01DC02

Primary/Secondary Keywords