[Opportunistic bacteria and microbial flora in children with leukemia and neutropenic enterocolitis].

Objective: to determine the prevalence of opportunistic microorganisms and microbial flora in neutropenic enterocolitis in oncohematological pediatric patients.

Methods: a prospective and observational study was done. Patients with diagnosis of acute leukemia and neutropenia were included. Stool cultures were taken to identify microorganisms and microbial flora. A χ(2) test with Yates corrections and Fisher exact test were used in the statistical analysis.

Results: 21 patients were included (12 male, 57.1 %). The stool cultures showed that 68 % of microorganisms were Gram-negative. The presence of microorganisms Gram-positive was 20 %, 6 % for Candida sp.; 3 % for Cryptosporidium sp.; and in 3 % were acid fast bacilli. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterobacter sp., and Escherichia coli were presented in pure culture. No association was found between Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms with age, white cell count or pure or mixed cultures.

Conclusions: although Gram-negative microorganisms were the most frequent, Gram-positive and other microorganisms that are not detected habitually in feces culture were isolated.