1887

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted in 1999 at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, to estimate the incidence, morbidity and mortality of fungal infections along with the evaluation of risk factors influencing outcome of infections among paediatric cancer patients. Of 1917 infectious episodes, the fungal infection rate as documented both clinically and microbiologically was 3.7% (70 cases). Fungal pathogens isolated were yeasts in 55 patients (78.6%) and moulds in 15 patients (21.11%). Among yeasts, was the commonest, followed by . Pneumonia was the most common fungal infection (n=25, 35.7%), followed by fungaemia (n=18, 25.7%). The overall mortality rate was 40% (n=28), with an infection-related mortality of 28.5% (n=20). Risk factors that accompanied mortality were relapsing or recurrent disease, profound neutropenia, ADE (Ara-C, daunorubocin and etoposide) protocol of chemotherapy, isolated and fungaemia as a site of infection. Early use of empirical antifungal therapy (day 4) was not associated with a better outcome. In the light of the poor outcome of patients with fungaemia and fungal pneumonia, every effort should be made to prevent these infections in paediatric cancer patients.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/0022-1317-51-7-601
2002-07-01
2024-12-10
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/0022-1317-51-7-601
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error