Optimal Antibacterial Chemotherapy for Infectious Diseases Associated with Hematological Malignancies

The status quo of infectious diseases associated with hematological malignancies was examined for clinical consideration. In addition, in vitro antibacterial activities and combination effects were also examined by means of various isolated strains derived from sepsis. In clinical practice, 76% of the fevers in patients with hematological malignancies was attributed to infectious diseases mainly involving “fever with granulocytopenia ”, sepsis, and pneumonia. The detection rate of causal pathogen remained at a low level and more than half of the causes of death were infectious diseases. In the in vitro examination, a favorable antibacterial effect was noted with vancomycin (VCM) for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus spp., imipenem (IPM) for methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), and ciprofloxacin, amikacin (AMK), and IPM for Pseudornonas aeruginosa and intestinal flora. But its clinical effect is not enough. Synergic and/or additive effect can be expected by combining IPM with VCM for MRSA and Enterococcus spp., and IPM with AMK for P. aeruginosa. These combination therapie were considered to be optimal as antibacterial chemotherapy for infectious diseases associated with hematological malignancies.