Abstract

Invasive forms of mycotic infections are the main death cause in children with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. The use of increasingly aggressive treatments such as intensive chemotherapy, steroid therapy or radiotherapy and, consequently, immunosuppression as well as broad spectrum antibiotic therapy make this group of children particularly susceptible to mycotic infections. These infections are usually severe, life-threatening and fulminant. Additionally, there may be problems with establishing the diagnosis and resistance to the treatment applied. The present paper is the analysis of 7 children with generalised mycotic infections, treated at the Department of Paediatric Haemato-oncology, Medical University in Lublin (the study group included 5 children with documented mycotic infection and 2 with the suspicion of such). The work is an attempt to evaluate individual risk factors, the most typical infection symptoms, the results of laboratory tests helpful in the establishment of diagnosis and therapeutic management of patients with impaired immunity.

Keywords: disseminated candidemia, pulmonary aspergillosis, Neutropenia, acute children leukaemia, antifungal therapy