Infectious complications in bone marrow transplant patients.
In 11 patients receiving transplants of allogeneic bone marrow, the graft was successful in six. Nine patients developed infections, and six died-five of septicaemia and one of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Fifty individual infections occurred. Predisposing factors included severe underlying diseases, long-term exposure to resistant hospital organisms, heavy immunosuppressive therapy, and graft-versus-host disease. Gram-negative bacilli and Candida albicans were the most common causative organisms. In every instance of septicaemia identical organisms were isolated from blood cultures and simultaneously obtained stool cultures. Infection with exogenous organisms often occurred in patients occupying conventional isolation rooms. Isolation of one patient for 45 days in a laminar air flow room prevented infection with exogenous organisms.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000009:adverse effects; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003428:Cross Infection; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010357:Patient Isolators; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents