Abstract
Background: Symptomatic bacteraemia, is a frequent condition among cancer patients with a significant morbidity and mortality all over the world. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the burden of enteric pathogens causing bacteremia among cancer patients. Patients and Methods: Ten ml blood samples were withdrawn from the cancer patients under aseptic conditions. The blood specimens were added to the blood culture bottles and incubated at 37°C. The bacterial isolates from these samples were identified by routine biochemical reactions. Results: During the study period, 68 blood samples from cancer patients were analyzed for bacteremia. Of these patients, six were female (08/82%) and 62 were male (91.18%); with age ranging from under 40 years to 85 years old (mean, 63 years). Gastro-intestinal cancer and cancers of head and neck were the most frequent cancer types in the studied group, accounting for 51 (75%) and 15 (22.1%) cases, respectively. The mean weight of patients was 69.18 Kg (range: 49-100 Kg). Similarly, the mean length of hospital stay was 8 days (range: 4-12 days). Positive blood cultures were detected in only 12 (17.65%) and 11 (91.7%) blood specimens from the Cancer Institute, Tehran, compared with one (08.33%) from Shahid Kamali hospital, Karaj. From these patients, 15 bacteria were isolated; E. coli alone outnumbered other species and accounted for 33.33% of the episodes of bacteremia. Conclusions: In conclusion, our investigation revealed that cancers of GI tract are the most common cancer types causing bacteremia and also we identified that most common bacteria causing bacteremia in Cancer Institute, Tehran and Shahid Kamali Hospital, Karaj, are E. coli and S. aureus
Highlights
Symptomatic bacteraemia, is a frequent condition among cancer patients with a significant morbidity and mortality all over the world
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education: As several scientists reported bacteremia as a serious and common complication among cancer patients, our investigation revealed that cancers of GI tract are the most common cancer types causing bacteremia and we identified that most common bacteria causing bacteremia in Cancer Institute, Tehran and Shahid Kamali Hospital, Karaj, are E. coli and S. aureus by the Ethical Committee of Alborz University of Medical Sciences
During the study period (April 2013 to October 2013), 57 and 11 blood samples from cancer patients were taken from Cancer Institute, Tehran and Shahid Kamali Hospital, Karaj, respectively and analyzed for bacteremia; overall, 68 cancer patients participated in this study; of which, six were female (8.82%) and 62 were male (91.18%); ages ranged from under 40 year to 85 years
Summary
Symptomatic bacteraemia, is a frequent condition among cancer patients with a significant morbidity and mortality all over the world. Results: During the study period, 68 blood samples from cancer patients were analyzed for bacteremia Of these patients, six were female (08/82%) and 62 were male (91.18%); with age ranging from under 40 years to 85 years old (mean, 63 years). Positive blood cultures were detected in only 12 (17.65%) and 11 (91.7%) blood specimens from the Cancer Institute, Tehran, compared with one (08.33%) from Shahid Kamali hospital, Karaj. From these patients, 15 bacteria were isolated; E. coli alone outnumbered other species and accounted for 33.33% of the episodes of bacteremia. Many scientists report that the causative agents of bacteremia are changing [5, 6]; obtaining a better understanding of the spectrum of pathogens causing bacteremia is vital for prompt treatment
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