The spectrum of bacterial infections in febrile neutropenic patients: Effect on empiric antibiotic therapy

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to look at the spectrum of bacterial isolates and their resistance patterns to the commonly used antibiotics in the setting of febrile neutropenia. A total of 127 bacteria were isolated from patients with acute leukemias, lymphoproliferative disorders, a plastic anaemia and various solid tumours. Fifty-four percent organisms were gram negative; while the rest were gram positive. E. coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus aureus, enterococcus and streptococci were the commonly isolated organisms. Forty-eight percent organisms were isolated from blood, 16% from urine, 13% from wounds and superficial abscesses and 11% from respiratory tract. E. coli exhibited a great degree of resistance to the commonly used antibiotics, such as pipericillin (70%), ofloxacin (50%) and aztreonam (50%). Pseudomonas and klebsiella also showed varying degree of resistance against the antibiotics. Staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcus epidermidis were almost universally resistant to penicillin and showed a variable degree of resistance to other antibiotics too. Compared to the previous reports, the pattern of bacterial isolates and their resistance to antibiotics has changed over the past years. Aminoglycosides and third generation cephalosporins seem to be the choice of antibiotics for the upfront management of febrile neutropenic patients.