Characterization of Bacteria from Blood Cultures of Cancer Patients Admitted to Cancer Institute at a Tertiary Care Hospital

ABSTRACT

Background: Infection is a continuous and significant problemin patients with cancer. Bloodstream infection remains a majorcause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoingtreatment for cancer. Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a leadinginfectious complication among cancer patients and has anegative impact on patients' outcome. Hence; the presentstudy was undertaken for characterizing bacteria from bloodcultures of cancer patients admitted to cancer institute.Materials & Methods: A total of 344 blood samples werecollected for culture from the suspected cases blood streaminfection from cancer patients. Blood samples were collectedbefore starting the antimicrobial therapy. Regardless of visualappearance every blood culture bottle was sub cultured afterovernight incubation and on the fourth and seventh days. Theinoculated pates of solid media were incubated overnight at37°C. Organism identification was done. All the results weresummarized in Microsoft excel sheet.Results: Out of 344 blood culture samples, 86 blood streaminfections were recovered from blood culture samples from allages and both sexes. Out of total 61 blood culture samples forneutropenic patients, Gram positive cocci, CONS was isolatedin 7(11.5%) while 2(3.3%) COPS were isolated. In GramNegative bacilli enterobacteriaceae members, E. coli wasisolated in 3(4.9%) and klebsiella was isolated in 6(9.8%). andin gram negative bacilli non fermenter, pseudomonas wasisolated in 8(13.1%) and acinetobacter was isolated in7(11.5%) of blood stream infection.Conclusion: The study highlighted the variations observed inthe pattern of aerobic bacterial profile from suspected cases ofBSIs and also the changing trends in the susceptibility patternsof the isolates to routinely used antibiotics.