Bacteremia caused by Enterobacter: 15 years of experience in a cancer hospital.
A total of 296 episodes of bacteremia due to Enterobacter occurred in 281 patients with cancer between 1972 and 1986. The majority of these episodes were caused by Enterobacter cloacae. Seventy-four percent of the patients developed their infection while in the hospital and 55% had received therapeutic antibiotics during the 10 days preceding the onset of the infection. Enterobacter bacteremia was associated with shock in 24% of the patients and with disseminated intravascular coagulation in only 3%. The overall rate of response to therapy was 79% and increased to 85% during the last 5-year period. Only five patients remained afebrile during their infection, but four of these five died. Only 37% of the patients with shock responded to therapy compared with 93% of the patients without shock. The rate of response to therapy was 86% among patients without pulmonary infection compared with only 53% among those with pulmonary infection. The response rate to therapy with a single antibiotic was 73% and that to therapy with two antibiotics was 85%. As single therapeutic agents aminoglycosides were less effective than beta-lactam agents.
Department of Medical Specialties, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
G P
GP
Bodey
L S
LS
Elting
S
S
Rodriguez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents