Mucocutaneous infections in hematological malignancies.
BACKGROUND
Mucocutaneous infections of diverse etiology are frequent complications in patients with hematological malignancies.


OBJECTIVE
To study the incidence, predisposing factors, microbiology, and primary clinical manifestations of these complications in oncohematological patients.


METHODS
The study included 862 patients (394 females and 468 males) with hematological malignancies, treated in the Clinic of Hematology of the Higher Medical Institute, Plovdiv from 1990 to 1998. The patients were divided into three groups according to the primary disorder: lymphoproliferative disorders (541 patients), myeloproliferative disorders (296 patients), and bone marrow insufficiency (25 patients).


CONCLUSIONS
The mucocutaneous infections studied included most often abscesses and pyodermias. The predominant isolate was Staphylococcus aureus. Viral infections were caused mainly by herpes simplex virus type I and, less frequently, varicella zoster virus with intercostal localization. Candida species was isolated predominantly in oropharyngeal and esophageal mycoses.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged cytostatic-induced neutropenia and suppressed cellular immune response are the principal factors for the infectious complications in hematological malignancies. The early clinical diagnosis and prompt etiological treatment of the mucocutaneous infections are crucial for the prophylaxis of the systemic infectious complications.
Grudeva-Popova
J
J
Clinic of Hematology, Higher Medical Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Goranov
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000209:etiology*