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Oral infections and fever in immunocompromised patients with haematologic malignancies

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Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of acute oral infections and to estimate their role as a possible cause of fever in immunocompromised patients with haematologic malignancies. Seventy-eight febrile episodes in 46 patients were analyzed prospectively and consecutively. An association between a rise in the leukocyte and platelet counts and normalization of the temperature was found. Acute infections were present in 92 % of the febrile episodes no infectious cause could be demonstrated in the remaining 8 %. Acute oral infections were present during 78% and acute extraoral infections during 73% of the febrile episodes. Acute candidiasis and infected mucosal ulcers were the most prevalent oral infections, occurring in about one-half and one-third of the episodes, respectively. Septicaemia and pneumonia were the most prevalent extraoral infections, each present in about one-fourth of the febrile episodes. Acute oral infections were a probable cause of fever in 14 % of the febrile episodes and a possible or a contributing cause of fever in a further 26 %. The results suggest that effective treatment or prevention of acute oral infections may reduce the morbidity and perhaps even the mortality in immunocompromised patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of Medicine and Haematology, Aarhus Amtssygehus, and Department of Oral Biology, Royal Dental College, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    O. J. Bergmann

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  1. O. J. Bergmann
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Bergmann, O.J. Oral infections and fever in immunocompromised patients with haematologic malignancies. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 8, 207–213 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965262

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965262

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