<i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> bacteremia in hemato-oncological patients

Abstract Background Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an increasingly common cause of bacteremia in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with underlying neutropenia. This study aims to characterize the clinical presentation, risk factors, and outcomes of Stenotrophomas maltophilia bacteremia in pediatric hemato-oncological patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of nine pediatric hemato-oncological patients who developed a cluster of Stenotrophomas maltophilia bacteremia at our institution from September to November in 2023. The identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by Vitek 2. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical presentation, underlying disease, treatment regimens, and outcomes. Results We identified nine cases of Stenotrophomas maltophilia bacteremia during the study period. The median age of the patients was 11 years (range 3-16 years), 7 were male. All patients had underlying hematologic malignancies (particularly acute lymphoblastic leukemia) and had profound neutropenia (ANC &amp;lt;100/mm3) at the time of bacteremia. The most common clinical presentation were fever (100%) and the most frequent risk factors were having a central venous catheter (CVC) (100%) and early chemotherapy treatment prior the diagnosis, median of 9 days (range 3-14 days). All patients received intravenous antibiotics, and the most commonly used agent was trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), the median duration of treatment was 12 days (range 7-16 days). The overall mortality rate was 11.1% on a patient with necrotizing fasciitis. Conclusion Stenotrophomas maltophilia bacteremia is a severe complication in pediatric hemato-oncological patients, considering its multidrug-resistance profile. The rise in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolations has triggered the implementation of outbreak investigation measures and exhibits the importance of an adequate control in central line care. Early diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial for improving outcomes.