The microbial spectrum and antimicrobial resistance pattern in pediatric cancer patients with febrile neutropenia at King Abdullah University Hospital, Jordan

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening complication of cancer therapy. Appropriate antibiotic treatment improves the clinical outcome in these patients; however, the increasing rate of anti-microbial resistance makes its therapy particularly challenging.

This study aims to investigate the microbial spectrum and antimicrobial resistance pattern in cancer patients with FN at King Abdullah University Hospital, Jordan.

Blood cultures of 261 FN patients pre-diagnosed with malignancy (age 1–18 years) were enrolled in this study.

The most common isolated microorganisms were gram-positive bacteria (50.2℅). Gram-infections with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS) are the most prevalent pathogens, followed by gram-negative infections with Klebseilla pneumonia and fungal infections with nonalbicans strains. All CONS, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and enterococcus species were sensitive to Vancomycin and Teicoplanin. Ten percent of the gram-negative organisms were Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and all were sensitive to carbapenems. 66.7% of pseudomonas aeruginosa blood cultures were sensitive to Piperacillin-Tazobactam and 83.4% were sensitive to carbapenems. All Enterobacter species were sensitive to Carbapenems.

Isolates showed various antibiotic sensitivity and resistance patterns; therefore, a judicious management plan is essential to establish an appropriate and effective institutional policy for the use of empirical antibiotics in patients of FN.