
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.

