Microbial Etiology, Immunological Evaluation, and Drug-Resistance Spectrum Profile of Bloodstream Infections Among Cancer Patients

Abstract Background: Bloodstream infection (BSI) in cancer patients is becoming more common due to a number of opportunistic bacteria, some of which show high resistance to antibiotics. Objectives: The study aimed to diagnose the most important bacterial causes of BSI in patients with different cancers of both sexes, estimate the sensitivity of bacterial species to antibiotics, and measure immunological factors in the serum of infected patients. Materials and Methods: The study sample included patients hospitalized at Marjan Teaching Hospital in Babil Province. Microbiological tests and immunological assessments were conducted on the study sample from April 2021 to February 2022. The study included 239 patients (with different types of cancers and showing signs of fever) included 126 (52.71%) females and 113 (47.28%) males. Results: 1007 BSI-causing microorganisms were diagnosed among 239 cancer cases. The most common types of microorganisms isolated were Escherichia coli 169 (16.7%) and Klebsiella pneumonia 165 (16.3%). The results showed significant antimicrobial susceptibility patterns for bacterial and fungal isolates causing BSI. Resistance to ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and chloramphenicol was higher than other antibiotics. The results showed a significant elevation of all immunological factors among the BSI group associated with cancer compared to the control group, including IFN- γ , TNF- α , IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-6. Conclusions: It is necessary to regularly check the prevalence of bacteria and the level of antibiotic resistance in BSI patients. It will help determine whether local rules for the use of antimicrobial agents are appropriate and select appropriate drugs for empirical antibiotic therapy and prophylaxis in high-risk patients.