Monitoring of bacteremia in oncological patients

: The aim of the present study was analysis of bacteremia occurring among oncological patients treated in 3 departments of Regional Center of Oncology, in period 1997-2000. A total number of 255 blood cultures from 89 patients were tested using the automatic system to early detection of positive blood-cultures Bactec 9050 (Becton Dickinson). The strains were identified in the automatic VITEK system using commercial strips with biochemical tests and in manual system API (bioMerieux). The total number of positive blood cultures was 70 (27.45%). The most frequently isolated causal agents were the Gram-positive microorganisms (65.79%). Among 28 examined patients with positive blood cultures 10 were with lymphoma and 9 with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. 9 patients (32.14%) had sepsis, 4 patients with sepsis died. Constant monitoring of bacteremia in oncological patients should be fundamental element in control of hospital infection program.