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To determine the incidence and clinical presentation of atypical infections among elderly individuals living in long-term hospital care.

January 1, 1987Age and Ageing

The Atypical Presentation of Infection in Old Age

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To determine the incidence and clinical presentation of atypical infections among elderly individuals living in long-term hospital care.
Conducted a 6-month prospective surveillance study in a long-term-care hospital evaluating 143 aged veterans.
Tracked episodes of acute functional decline and evaluated participants with systematic clinical and diagnostic investigations for underlying infection.
Identified 65 instances of functional decline and confirmed 50 distinct episodes of infection among the 143 veterans.
Most patients mounted a fever of at least 38°C during infection, showing that a completely afebrile response is uncommon in this group.
Institutional mortality decreased to approximately half the expected baseline during the period of intensive surveillance and early intervention, returning to standard levels afterward.

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Surveillance study reveals early detection of attenuated infection signs in elderly veterans, highlighting that prompt diagnosis reduces mortality.

Berman et al. (1987) studied this question.

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Surveillance study reveals early detection of attenuated infection signs in elderly veterans, highlighting that prompt diagnosis reduces mortality.