Septicemia in pediatric oncology patients: the significance of viridans streptococcal infections. J Clin Oncol 1990 Mar;8(3):453-9
Date
03/01/1990Pubmed ID
2307989DOI
10.1200/JCO.1990.8.3.453Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0025250210 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 77 CitationsAbstract
One hundred nine consecutive episodes of septicemia were retrospectively evaluated in 61 children with malignancy. In addition, the records of all pediatric oncology patients who received high-dose cytarabine (HDAC) chemotherapy were reviewed. Gram-positive organisms accounted for 82.6% of the septicemic episodes. In the total group, coagulase-negative staphylococci and viridans streptococci accounted for 35.8% and 28.4% of the episodes, respectively. In granulocytopenic patients, viridans streptococci were the most common pathogens (36.8%). In the subset of patients who received HDAC, 62.5% of the septicemic episodes were caused by viridans streptococci. Pulmonary complications developed in nine (29%) of the total cases of viridans streptococcal sepsis, whereas these complications occurred in only eight (10.3%) of the septic episodes caused by other organisms. In patients who had viridans septicemia, prior treatment with HDAC did not increase the incidence of pulmonary complications. In septic children with malignancy, our results demonstrate a high incidence of gram-positive organisms, including viridans streptococci, which were once regarded as culture contaminants.
Author List
Weisman SJ, Scoopo FJ, Johnson GM, Altman AJ, Quinn JJAuthor
Steven J. Weisman MD Professor in the Anesthesiology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Agranulocytosis
Child
Child, Preschool
Cytarabine
Female
Humans
Infant
Lung Diseases
Male
Neoplasms
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sepsis
Streptococcal Infections
