title: Staphylococcus aureus sepsis in childhood malignancy.
abstract: Forty-five episodes of Staphylococcus aureus septicemia occurred in 44 children with malignant neoplasms over a seven-year period. The frequent findings at diagnosis were fever, neutropenia, and an active malignant process. Twenty-six (58%) of 45 episodes had a primary focus of infection. Multiple-organism sepsis occurred four times; three episodes were fatal. Only one patient with single-organism S aureus sepsis died (a mortality of 2%). Direct infectious complications occurred in nine (20%) of 45 episodes. Endocarditis and osteomyelitis were not seen as complications of S aureus sepsis.
mesh_terms: D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D010406:Penicillins