Pneumococcal sepsis in childhood leukemia and lymphoma.

Forty episodes of sepsis in 28 patients with leukemia or lymphoma were reviewed. Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 14 episodes and was the most frequent etiologic agent isolated. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus accounted for an additional 16 episodes. No patients with pneumococcal sepsis died whereas the overall mortality was 25%. Five of the patients with pneumococcal sepsis had polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts less than 500/cu mm. All patients in remission who had pneumococcal sepsis had a leukocytosis in response to their infection. Foci in patients with pneumococcal sepsis were identified in 50% of the episodes and all were confined to the respiratory tract.