The Bacterial Infections in Patients with Acute Leukemia and Its Treatment by Antibiotics, with Special Reference to Klebsiella and Pseudomonas Infections

Abstract

Thirty two bacterial infections in 22 patients with acute leukemia which causative organisms, inflammatory foci and responsible antibiotics were established in the 1st Department of Internal Medicine of Nagoya University Hospital from January, 1971 through September, 1974 were investigated and reported.
As to the incidence, pneumonia, septicemia, pharyngo-tracheitis and gingival abscess were frequent in this order and gram-negative bacilli were identified predominantly in 31 infections, in which Klebsiella was most frequent and followed by Pseudomonas and Escherichia coli.
Cephalosporin (Cephalothin, Cefazolin) was most effective to Klebsiella and Penicillin (Carbenicillin, Sulbenicillin) to Pseudomonas.
An interesting case of acute pneumonia in patient with acute monocytic leukemia was reported, which showed alternate growth of Pseudomonas and Klebsiella according to the antibiotics administered in the periodical sputum cultures.