Respiratory syncytial virus infections in children with acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.
BACKGROUND
Morbidity and mortality related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is not known.


METHODS
We combined data from three Children's Oncology Group AML studies and determined the prevalence of RSV infection and RSV-related mortality in children treated for de novo AML.


RESULTS
We found that the prevalence of RSV infection ranged from 0% to 1% in induction and between 0.3 and 2.2% in consolidation. Four children died from RSV resulting in RSV-specific mortality of 0.2% among all children. However, the risk of RSV-related mortality among RSV infection episodes was high (4/40, 10%).


CONCLUSIONS
RSV infections and deaths are rare in pediatric AML.
Sung
Lillian
L
Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8. lillian.sung@sickkids.ca
Alonzo
Todd A
TA
Gerbing
Robert B
RB
Aplenc
Richard
R
Lange
Beverly J
BJ
Woods
William G
WG
Feusner
James
J
Franklin
Janet
J
Patterson
Maria J
MJ
Gamis
Alan S
AS
D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D015996:Survival Rate; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous