title: Anaerobic bacteremia in patients with acute leukemia.
abstract: We reviewed 402 hospital admissions of patients with acute leukemia to define the frequency and characteristics of anaerobic bacteremia in this patient population. Six (5.2%) of the 116 septicemia episodes documented in these patients were caused by anaerobes (Bacteroides species, 3; Fusobacterium species, 2; and Clostridium tertium, 1); two of these episodes were polymicrobial. Five patients had had prior bacteremia. All six patients were receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics, including an anti-pseudomonal penicillin, at the time of the episode. In each instance, the absolute granulocyte count was 0/mm3. Five patients had clinically apparent sources of infection, including perirectal abscess, gastrointestinal bleeding, or Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. Anaerobic bacteremia is an infrequent occurrence in granulocytopenic patients with acute leukemia, but may occur when there is obvious disruption of normal gastrointestinal anatomic barriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Provencher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cassileth
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000150:complications; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology