Alpha-hemolytic streptococcal septicemia with severe complications during neutropenia in childhood cancer.

After introduction of selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD), a change toward an increase of infections by Staphylococcus epidermidis and alpha-hemolytic Streptococci has been noticed in the predominant etiology of infections during neutropenia. During a 27-month study period, 165 positive blood cultures were obtained from 64 neutropenic children. In 26 cases there was septicemia caused by Streptococci. Alpha-hemolytic Streptococci were isolated from blood culture in 25 cases. In 1 case septicemia was caused by beta-hemolytic Streptococcus of group G. In 10 patients, all with hematologic malignancies, septicemia attended with complications. We suggest that patients with hematologic malignancies are at risk of an unusually severe clinical course of streptococcal septicemia.