Background: We sought to determine the risk of bacteremia in a cohort of outpatient febrile nonneutropenic pediatric oncology patients and to assess clinical characteristics that may influence decisions regarding empiric antibiotic therapy.
Procedure: A single institution retrospective cohort study was performed of outpatient pediatric oncology patients presenting with fever, a central venous catheter, and an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of >/=500/microl over a 6-year period. We also collected data regarding the presence of clinically evident infections, antibiotics prescribed, and the sensitivity of bacteria to specific antibiotics.