Introduction
infection, Critical illness, healthcare-associated infections, HCAIs
INFECTION, CRITICAL ILLNESS, CRITICAL ILLNESS, SECONDARY INFECTION
Critical illness affects immune competence and in those requiring prolonged organ support, this, along with the presence of invasive devices such as urinary catheters, vascular lines and endotracheal tubes places them at risk of secondary infection. In children with severe or prolonged critical illness, healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with a prevalence of 7–14%The effect of SDD on antimicrobial resistance in treated patients and the unit ecology is not well described but remains an important concern for clinicians in the critical care settingOther meta-analyses suggest SDD is not associated with the development of antimicrobial resistance in patients in the ICU, although the effect of decontamination on ICU-level antimicrobial resistance rates is understudiedEvidence for the use of SDD in the Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU) population is limited to single centre and small observational studiesThe underlying hypothesis is that SDD is superior to standard infection control measures in preventing HCAIs in children expected to require at least 48 h of mechanical ventilation.