Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

37 episodes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were analyzed. 25 were associated with an identifiable source of infection: pneumonia (9), cellulitis (11), osteomyelitis (2), ear infection (2), urinary tract infection (1). The absolute neutrophil count was less than 1,000/mm3 at the onset of 29 episodes. 6 patients had a bacterial re-infection after the treatment for SAB was stopped. 5 patients had fungal infection discovered at autopsy. 7 patients died within 4 days of admission. Gram-negative superinfection occurred in 6 patients treated with multiple antibiotics whereas no patient among those treated with a single antibiotic developed superinfection. This was not a statistically different difference.