title: Bacillus cereus infections among oncology patients at a children's hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bacillus cereus can cause severe infections in immunocompromised persons.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report 3 cases of bacteremia/septicemia (1 fatal) among oncology patients in a children's hospital. Because all cases occurred during a 10-day period, a common source outbreak was suspected. An epidemiologic investigation was performed. Molecular comparison of patient and environmental isolates was performed by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After an extensive investigation, no common hospital source could be found. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis proved that the isolates were not related.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sporadic infections in immunocompromised persons do occur and can be associated with significant morbidity.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Byington
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Korgenski
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Adderson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bruggers
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hohmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Pavia
mesh_terms: D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D014589:Utah / Q000453:epidemiology