Obesity and infection. Another comorbidity?

Abstract

A literature review is devoted to the problem of comorbidity of obesity (Ob) and infections. At present, extensive material has been accumulated about the increased propensity of patients with Ob to various infections (respiratory, urinary, viral, nosocomial, postoperative). One of the pathogenetic mechanisms of infection development in patients with Ob is dysfunction of cellular and humoral immunity, induced by adipose tissue production of cytokines (adipokines), which have an immunomodulating effect in various directions. Further research is needed in the field of epidemiology, mechanisms of development and course of infections in patients with Ob, as well as developing tactics for conducting this category of patients (diagnosis, antibiotic therapy, preoperative preparation, etc.).

Keywords

• obesity
• infection
• adipokines
• leptin