BACTEREMIA AND FUNGEMIA IN CANCER-PATIENTS WITH VENOUS CATHETERS

In 116 cancer patients with bacteremia and fungemia and neutropenia (7 1%) analysis for the cause was made with regard to the presence of ven ous catheter, previous therapy or prophylaxis, uderlying disease and i mmunosuppression and etiology. The incidence of bacteremia in patients with catheter was 12xhigher (8.25% vs. 0.76%) in comparison to those without catheter and the mortality in respective groups was 26.3% acid 15%. Among 206 isolates, 128 (63%) were grampositive aerobes, 58 (27. 5%) gramnegative aerobes and 20 (9.5%) fungi. The mortality was the hi ghest in patients with catheter and fungemia (66.6%) and relatively hi gher in patients with catheter and gramnegative bacteremia.