title: Infections in haematological malignancies: an autopsy study of 72 cases.
abstract: Autopsy material from 72 patients with haematological malignancies treated in India was reviewed. Thirty-seven patients (51%) had documented infections; 20 (27%) had bacterial infections, 14 of which were Gram-negative organisms (Pseudomonas species in 10); tuberculosis was present in 2 patients (2.7%). Twenty-one patients (29%) had systemic fungal infections; invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and gastrointestinal candidiasis were present in 10 patients each. Only 3 patients (4%) had viral infection, all of which were due to cytomegalovirus. Eleven patients (15%) had polymicrobial infections. No patient had any parasitic infection. Systemic fungal infections due to Aspergillus and Candida predominated, while Gram-negative bacterial infections were also common.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krishnaswami
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dennison
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chandy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications