title: Three cases of viridans group streptococcal bacteremia in children with febrile neutropenia and literature review.
abstract: Three cases of viridans group streptococcal bacteremia in 2 children with brain tumours and in 1 with autoimmune neutropenia are presented. All children were neutropenic. The 2 patients with malignancy also had mucositis. The isolated strains of viridans group streptococci showed considerable resistance to antibiotics. All patients were empirically treated with third generation cephalosporins and amikacin, before antibiotic sensitivities were available and recovered without complications. Viridans group streptococcal bacteremia should be suspected in neutropenic children, especially in the presence of mucositis. Prospective, randomized clinical trials of mouth antiseptics are needed to clarify the usefulness, if any, of such measures in the reduction of viridans group streptococcal bacteremia in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Danilatou
authors.forename: Elpis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mantadakis
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galanakis
authors.forename: Athanassia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christidou
authors.forename: Eftichia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stiakaki
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalmanti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034363:Viridans Streptococci / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents