Principles in antimicrobial therapy - Pediatric Infectious Disease ...

Step 2. Consider host defense
mechanism
• If the host is healthy with intact immunity and
normal integumental barriers to infection, the
causative pathogens are predictable
• If the host is healthy with intact immunity but
with trauma to skin, mucous membranes, recent
surgical procedure, or indwelling medical device,
a variety of relatively nonpathogenic commensals
can be causative pathogens, mandating therapy
with broader spectrum antibiotic
• If the host is immunocompromised – REFER!