The rediscovery of host defense enhancement

Abstract

The innate limitations of sterile technique, vaccines, and antibiotics apparent in host defense enhancement provide fertile ground for the study of other concepts. The goals of this new research are to avoid infection or facilitate recovery in the surgical setting and to develop new, safe, and efficient host defense stimulants. Current laboratory work with surgically simulated infection suggests that nonspecific host defense enhancement may offer genuine improvement in selected clinical situations.