“Why is my father having repeated bacterial infections in the hospital?”
My father has been hospitalized and he is now getting repeated bacterial infections. What could be causing this?
1 Answer
Infections are typically caused by a process which creates the conditions that allows bacteria to thrive. In the case of UTIs, it could be because urinary obstruction is preventing emptying of the bladder and static urine allows for bacterial growth. Urinary catheters or foreign objects in general commonly cause infections. Underlying lung disease can predispose to pneumonia, especially in the setting of large amounts of mucus production or damage to bronchials preventing mobilization of secretions and allowing for breading grounds to bacteria. Hospitalized patients in general are predisposed to infections given lack of ambulation and reconditioning of lungs causing collapse of the bases to their lungs called atelectasis. In general, if medical problems are stable we try to discharge patients as soon as possible to prevent infections from being in the hospital. Less often patients get infected hardware from previous joint surgeries or infected heart valves.
Jack Stephens, MD
Jack Stephens, MD
