Emergence of MRSA in positive blood cultures from patients with febrile neutropenia--a cause for concern.
Support Care Cancer
; 16(9): 1085-8, 2008 Sep.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18274787
GOALS OF WORK: Febrile neutropenia (FN) causes considerable morbidity in patients on cytotoxic chemotherapy. Recently, there has been a trend towards fewer Gram-negative and more Gram-positive infections with increasing antibiotic resistance. To assess these patterns, data from a supra-regional cancer centre in Ireland were reviewed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 5-year review of all positive blood cultures in patients undergoing anti-cancer chemotherapy was carried out. MAIN RESULTS: Eight hundred and ninety-four patients were reviewed. The mean incidence of FN was 64.2 cases per year. Eight hundred and forty-six blood culture specimens were taken and 173 (20.4%) were culture positive. The isolated organisms were Gram positive (71.1%), Gram negative (27.8%) and fungal (1.1%). Of the Gram-positive organisms, 75.6% were staphylococci. Of these, 67.8% were coagulase-negative staphylococci and 30.1% were Staphylococci aureus. Amongst the S. aureus, 89.3% were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were not identified as a cause of positive blood cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Amongst patients with cancer who develop FN in our hospital, Gram-positive bacteria account for the largest proportion. The high proportion of MRSA as a cause of positive blood cultures is of concern.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Staphylococcal Infections
/
Methicillin Resistance
/
Vancomycin Resistance
/
Fever
/
Neoplasms
/
Neutropenia
/
Antineoplastic Agents
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Support Care Cancer
Journal subject:
NEOPLASIAS
/
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2008
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ireland
Country of publication:
Germany