Incidence and management of infections in patients with acute leukemia following chemotherapy in general wards.

We hypothesise that treating patients with acute leukaemia in general wards, with proper hygienic and sanitary practices, would result in the minimum utilisation of resources as compared with the corresponding patients receiving ICU support. For this study, the acute leukaemia patients on induction chemotherapy were kept in general wards and observed for the incidence of neutropenia, resultant neutropenic febriles, the causative organism, and the effect of empirical antimicrobial treatment protocol on the outcome of such infections. Prophylactic anti-fungal therapy and cotrimoxazole therapy improved the outcome of infections. The therapy of neutropenic fever and infections must be adapted according to the risk factors and should include early empiric antifungal therapy. It was observed that the treatment of such patients in general wards could be managed effectively, with the added advantage of optimum utilisation of resources and in a patient-friendly environment, at a reasonable cost to the patients.