Infections in Children with Cancer Admitted in an Oncology Reference Hospital: A Cross-sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Pediatric oncology patients are immunocompromised due to cancer and treatments, increasing infection susceptibility.
• Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children undergoing cancer therapy.
• Understanding the local infection profile is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the infection profile of pediatric oncology patients in a reference hospital in Brazil.
• To identify common pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
• To analyze factors associated with infection occurrence.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, cross-sectional study of hospitalized pediatric oncology patients from 2018-2021.
• Data collection on infection episodes, patient demographics, cancer type, and microbiology.
• Statistical analysis to identify factors associated with infection (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• 168 infection episodes in 96 patients were identified.
• Hematological malignancies (62.4%), particularly Acute Lymphoid Leukemia (74.6%), were most common.
• Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen (31.9%), with 52% of isolates being multidrug-resistant.
• Chemotherapy in the last 30 days, sex, and cancer type were associated with infection risk.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a significant burden of infection, including multidrug-resistant organisms, in pediatric oncology patients in Brazil.
• Findings underscore the need for epidemiological surveillance and tailored infection control protocols.
• Further research and implementation of evidence-based strategies are essential to reduce infection-related complications.