title: Gastrointestinal and liver infections in children undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy in the years 2000.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review gastrointestinal and liver infections in children undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy. To look at gut microflora features in oncology children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected studies published after year 2000, excluding trials on transplanted pediatric patients. We searched English language publications in MEDLINE using the keywords: "gastrointestinal infection AND antineoplastic chemotherapy AND children", "gastrointestinal infection AND oncology AND children", "liver infection AND antineoplastic chemotherapy AND children", "liver abscess AND chemotherapy AND child", "neutropenic enterocolitis AND chemotherapy AND children", "thyphlitis AND chemotherapy AND children", "infectious diarrhea AND children AND oncology", "abdominal pain AND infection AND children AND oncology", "perianal sepsis AND children AND oncology", "colonic pseudo-obstruction AND oncology AND child AND chemotherapy", "microflora AND children AND malignancy", "microbiota AND children AND malignancy", "fungal flora AND children AND malignancy". We also analysed evidence from several articles and book references.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gastrointestinal and liver infections represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy. Antineoplastic drugs cause immunosuppression in addition to direct toxicity, predisposing to infections, although the specific risk is variable according to disease and host features. Common pathogens potentially induce severe diseases whereas opportunistic microorganisms may attack vulnerable hosts. Clinical manifestations can be subtle and not specific. In addition, several conditions are rare and diagnostic process and treatments are not standardized. Diagnosis may be challenging, however early diagnosis is needed for quick and appropriate interventions. Interestingly, the source of infection in those children can be exogenous or endogenous. Indeed, mucosal damage may allow the penetrance of endogenous microbes towards the bowel wall and their translocation into the bloodstream. However, only limited knowledge of intestinal dysbiosis in oncology children is available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnostic work-up requires a multimodal approach and should be implemented (also by further studies on new biomarkers) for a prompt and individualized therapy.
authors.affiliation: Elio Castagnola, Infectious Diseases Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castagnola
authors.affiliation: Elio Castagnola, Infectious Diseases Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruberto
authors.affiliation: Elio Castagnola, Infectious Diseases Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D003112:Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D064806:Dysbiosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D044504:Enterocolitis, Neutropenic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008100:Liver Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D009181:Mycoses / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Chemotherapy; Children; Gastrointestinal tract; Infection; Liver; Microflora; Oncology