The world’s population is aging at an unprecedented rate. According
to United Nations analyses, life expectancy at birth rose
from 47 years in 1950–1955 to 69 years in 2005–2010. Life
expectancy is projected to reach 76 years in 2045–2050 and 82
years in 2095–2100 globally [1]. By the end of the century a
person is expected to live for 89 years in developed countries
and 81 years in developing countries. The proportion of people
>60 years old in the population was 12% in 1950, was 23% in
2013 and is expected to be 32% in 2050. In this regard, the
elderly population has clearly benefitted from medical progress
to a great extent: many elderly patients with severe illnesses or
multiple comorbidities now undergo enhanced care with
improved survival. However, infections in the elderly represent
a major challenge because of their high frequency, different
epidemiology, atypical clinical presentation and features, and the
age-related modifications in drug metabolism. In this theme issue
we address several issues pertinent to infections in the elderly.