Comparison of bloodstream infections in patients between the haematological malignancy department and other departments

Abstract

In patients with haematological malignancies, immune function decreases owing to the reduction in the number of normal blood cells, and chemotherapies mainly using a carcinostatic agent make such patients immunocompromised. In isolates from other departments, 59.6% were gram-negative bacilli. In separating bacteria in the Haematological Malignancy Department, 46.0% were gram-positive cocci. Most importantly, there were Staphylococcus and Coryneform bacteria, and the Streptococcus mitis group, which are part of the normal flora of the skin. In the comparison by the sensitivity test, the MICs indicating the insensitivities of Escherichia coli to Levofloxacin (LVFX) and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Cefepime (CFPM), Meropenem (MEPM), LVFX were 20.8%–33.3% higher in the Haematological Malignancy Department than in other departments. In addition, the proportions of ESBL-producing bacteria such as E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 15% to 20% higher in the Haematological Malignancy Department than in other departments. Until now, we have never detected multidrug-resistant bacteria in blood culture, but considering the results of this survey, we should pay attention to the susceptibility of detected bacteria from future haematological malignancies, and to know the trend of resistant bacteria, we also concluded that it is necessary to continue blood culture surveillance.