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Septicemia in Immunocompromised Children and Their Intestinal Flora
Author(s) -
Yoshioka Hajime,
Sakata Hiroshi,
Fujita Kozo,
Kakehashi Hitoshi,
Oka Toshiaki,
Kaeriyama Masato
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.1990.tb00900.x
Subject(s) - flora (microbiology) , medicine , antibiotics , pharynx , bacilli , bacteriology , anaerobic bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , anaerobic exercise , gastrointestinal tract , organism , bacteria , surgery , biology , physiology , paleontology , genetics
Quantitative fecal bacteriology was performed in eight immunocompromised children with septicemia. The most marked change observed was suppression of the anaerobic bacteria. In seven patients, the predominant organisms were aerobic gram‐negative bacilli (GNB), and in six of these were the same as the causative organism of the septicemia. Thus, overgrowth of GNB in the gastrointestinal tract may result in invasion of the blood stream and septicemia in immunocompromised patients. To prevent this complication it is necessary to allow the normal intestinal flora to be maintained in these patients as long as possible. Antibiotics should therefore be prescribed with caution. For the same reason, use of immunosuppressive drugs should be kept to a minimum. Bacteriological examination of the stool and pharynx is useful in the management of immunocompromised patients.