HAP diseases such as ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), which is acquired in
hospital intensive care units, are nosocomial infections resulting from treatment
in a hospital or hospital-like setting, but are secondary to the patient's original
condition. Of the estimated 2 MM nosocomial infections in the US each year, hospital
acquired pneumonia (HAP) is the second most common, accounting for ~300,000 cases/year.
Sepsis, a systemic blood-borne infection that could occur following a pneumonia episode
or following surgery is particularly difficult to prevent and treat. Approximately
20 percent of patients who developed sepsis after surgery died, despite being prescribed
intensive antibiotics treatment regimens. Pneumonia and blood-borne infections caught
in U.S. hospitals killed 48,000 patients and cost $8.1 billion in 2006. Direct mortality
to HAP is ~50% with approximately 21% of all HAP caused by P. aeruginosa infections,
which would be amenable to treatment with both Panaecin and Aerucin.
