Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia (a serious lung infection) that can occur in patients, specifically those in Intensive Care Units (ICU) who need assistance breathing with a mechanical ventilator for at least 48 hours.

Patients are at risk of acquiring VAP if they have been on a ventilator for more than 5 days, have been recently hospitalized, had prior use of antibiotics (within the last 90 days), had dialysis treatment in a clinic or resided in a nursing home.

Symptoms of VAP include :

• Fever
• Low body temperature
• Foul smelling infectious mucous or phlegm coughed up from the lungs into the mouth
• Hypoxia or decreasing amounts of oxygen in the blood