Branhamella catarrhalis septicemia in patients with leukemia

Abstract

During a 10-year period, four patients with leukemia were identified who had Branhamella catarrhalis septicemia. Two patients had acute leukemia and the remaining two had chronic myelogenous leukemia with blastic transformation. All patients were febrile and neutropenic at the onset of the septicemia. After appropriate antibiotic therapy, they recovered from their infection despite persistence of neutropenia. Because beta-lactamase-producing bacteria are an increasing cause of nosocomial infections, treatment should be selected to cover them.

Secular trends in mortality associated with bloodstream infections in 4268 patients hospitalized in a cancer referral left between 1975 and 1989

“…The mortality associated in cancer patients with blood infections caused by a single bacterial species has been frequently studied [17–29], but variations in the incidence of such infections over a period of time and in the associated mortality have not been reported. Furthermore, the trends in nosocomial primary bloodstream infections in the US between 1980 and 1989 have been published, but no emphasis was placed on the associated mortality [8].…”

Branhamella catarrhalis: an organism gaining respect as a pathogen.

“…catarrhalis." Confirmed B. catarrhalis strains were isolated from patients with bacteremia (13,50,72,98,140,197,218,268) and endocarditis (300), and presumptively identified strains were recovered from other patients with systemic disease ( Table 2). Six of the isolates were said to be penicillin resistant (13, 242, 268) and seven produced P-lactamase (11,72,75,98,138,140,306).…”

“…Immunodeficiency/suppression or neutropenia was conductive to many of these infections (11,31,50,52,72,75,98,144,268). Septicemia in an infant with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was caused by B. catarrhalis (presumptive identification) (320).…”

“…were often disregarded because of the repeated, confident neisseriae or normal flora (58,221,248,262,268). In a assertion that the organism is nonpathogenic and commonly discussion during a symposium on B. catarrhalis held in 1985, C. D. Bluestone [Drugs 31(Suppl. 3): 38,1986] stated his impression that, in non-university hospitals in the United t Present address: 3550 Lebon Drive, no.…”

Bloodstream infections and herpesvirus activation following intensive chemother- apy of adult oncohematological patients

“…Previously, M.catarrhalis was considered a causal factor for otitis media, sinusitis, and conjunctivitis in children. Later on, a role of this microorganism was suggested for septicemias in acute leukemia patients [8,12]. Therefore, M.catarrhalis seems to play a distinct role in development of infectious complications in immunocompromised patients with oncohematological disorders [10,14].…”