Hematolojik Malignitesi Olan Hastalarda Febril Nötropeni Atakları Sırasında Alınan Burun Kültürlerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Aim: Febrile neutropenia is a common complication in patients\udreceiving cancer treatment. According to the results of several\udinvestigations, bacterial infections are the most common causes of\udmorbidity and mortality in these patients. In this study, we aimed to\uddetermine the prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureusin patients with\udfebrile neutropenia, to assess the frequency of methicillin resistant S.\udaureus, and to compare the blood and nasal cultures in these patients.\udMethods: Nasal and blood cultures were performed in 51 patients\udwith hematological malignancies during febrile neutropenic episodes.\udAntimicrobial susceptibilities of all S. aureus and Gram-negative\udstrains were evaluated by disc diffusion method according to the\udNational Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) for\udoxacillin and several other antibiotics.\udResults: In this study, blood and nasal cultures obtained between\udMarch 2006 and September 2006 were evaluated retrospectively.\udThe overall nasal S. aureus carriage rate was 23.5%. On the other\udhand, of all blood cultures performed in 51 patients, nine (17.5%)\udwere positive and the bacteria were not isolated in 87.5% of\udpatients. The overall compliance rate of strains isolated from both\udblood and nasal cultures was 17.5%, while it was 11.7% when\udconsidering the status of strains resistant to antibiotics studied.\udConclusion: It is concluded that, the surveillance cultures made\udoccasionally in patients with febrile neutropenia may give an idea\udto the physicians in cases in which the causative pathogen cannot\udbe determined. (The Me di cal Bul le tin of Ha se ki 2012; 50: 136-41