Gary A. Noskin, MD

Drs. Guinan, McGuckin, andNowell have nicely reviewedthe risk factors associatedwith increased susceptibility to hospital-acquired infection in oncologypatients and also discussed preventivesteps to attenuate those risks.We agree that patients with malignanciespresent a challenge to thehealth-care provider, as infection willdevelop at some point in almost allcancer patients[1] and may be associatedwith significant mortality.[2]

Bloodstream infections cause significant morbidity and mortality for patients with hematologic malignancy. Antimicrobial drugs are the most reliable currently available treatment for infection, but several issues must be

Nosocomial bloodstream infections across the United States and in Europe are increasingly attributable to gram-positive species- a trend that represents a reversal of the gram-negative predominance of the previous