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Published on: February 23, 2014

Increased risk for invasive pneumococcal diseases in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Roland Meisel1, André Michael Toschke, Cora Heiligensetzer

  • 1Clinic for Paediatric Oncology, Haematology and Clinical Immunology, University Clinic of Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, Moorenstrasse 5, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. meisel@med.uni-duesseldorf.de

British Journal of Haematology
|May 10, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) face over a 10-fold increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). This highlights the need for prophylactic interventions, such as vaccination, in this vulnerable pediatric group.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Asplenia and immunodeficiency are known risk factors for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).
  • Limited data exist on IPD risk in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a common childhood cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the risk of IPD in children diagnosed with ALL.
  • To compare IPD incidence in children with ALL to the general pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • Combined data from nationwide IPD surveillance and the German childhood cancer registry.
  • Retrospective analysis of IPD incidence among children with ALL.

Main Results:

  • Children with ALL exhibit a significantly higher risk (over 10-fold) of IPD compared to the general pediatric population.
  • A notable proportion of IPD cases in children with ALL occur during maintenance chemotherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Children with ALL represent a high-risk group for IPD.
  • This population may benefit from prophylactic strategies, including pneumococcal vaccination, especially during chemotherapy.

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