Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,948 studies31 sourcesUpdated 17 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Journal of Clinical Medicine

Clinical Presentations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Children with Leukaemia Treated with Chemotherapy—A Series of 5 Cases with Discussion

  • Maciej Niedźwiecki1
  • Janusz Springer2
  • Piotr Czauderna3
  • Mieszko Czapliński4
  • Ninela Irga-Jaworska1
  • Monika Lejman5,6
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Paediatrics, Haematology and Oncology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
  2. 2Division of Preventive Medicine & Education, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
  3. 3Department of Surgery and Urology of Children and Adolescents, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
  4. 4University Clinical Centre, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland
  5. 5Independent Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, A. Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
  6. 6Department of Genetic Diagnostics, Children’s University Hospital, A. Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Open at sourceDOICite

Abstract

Background: Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients with haematological malignancies. Severe neutropenia and antimicrobial resistance complicate treatment, while the roles of surgery and supportive therapies remain uncertain. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed five paediatric patients with leukaemia who developed life-threatening P. aeruginosa infections during chemotherapy. Cases were identified through a tertiary paediatric oncology centre’s clinical registry and verified using archived medical records. Clinical, microbiological, therapeutic, and outcome data, including surgical interventions, supportive therapies, and chemotherapy interruptions, were analysed. Results: All five patients developed severe infections during chemotherapy. EG affected the perineal or genital region in several cases, including two cases of Fournier’s gangrene. Four patients underwent surgical excision or debridement; surgery was not feasible in one because of critical deterioration. All received antimicrobials, with regimens adjusted according to microbiological findings and susceptibility profiles. Supportive treatments included granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, immunoglobulins, and granulocyte transfusions. Two patients survived into adulthood, including one who remained in remission after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; three died, one from infection-associated multiorgan failure before surgery, one following leukaemia relapse, and one from post-transplant complications. Infection and its treatment substantially delayed or modified chemotherapy. Conclusions: EG associated with P. aeruginosa during paediatric leukaemia treatment can cause death and disrupt anticancer therapy. Early multidisciplinary assessment, appropriate antimicrobial treatment, and timely surgical management of necrotic tissue should be considered when feasible. Immunomodulatory interventions and discharge between chemotherapy cycles may benefit selected patients, but their efficacy cannot be established from this small retrospective series. Further multicentre studies are needed to clarify optimal management.

Related

  1. MRSA-dominant colonization and synergistic pathogenicity with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a polymicrobial bone infection model
    Hang Zhou, Wanchang Liu, Xinliang Peng +18
    Journal of orthopaedic translationPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  2. Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia with Secondary Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in a Dog: Endoscopic and Diagnostic Findings.
    Giulia Maggi, Francesca Pirgher, Davide De Lorenzi +2
    Veterinary sciencesPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  3. Clinical Profile of Patients With Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Cross-sectional Prospective Study From a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India.
    Salapakshi Nagaraju, Kailash Jatav, Prashanth K Guddeti
    CureusPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textInfectious diseaseEurope PMC
  4. Autophagy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection: host defense, bacterial countermeasures, and therapeutic targeting
    Bingbing Zhang, Yanling Huang, Lingling Wen +4
    Frontiers in MicrobiologyPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textEpidemiology & public healthPMCCrossrefEurope PMC
  5. FAVORABLE OUTCOME OF ORAL PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA INFECTION WITH BONE EXPOSURE DURING HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION: A CASE REPORT
    Luiza Deitos MENTI, Leticia Mello BEZINELLI, Guilherme Fleury PERINI +1
    Hematology, Transfusion and Cell TherapyPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textOncologyDOAJ

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{niedzwiecki2026clinical,
  title = {{Clinical Presentations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Children with Leukaemia Treated with Chemotherapy—A Series of 5 Cases with Discussion}},
  author = {Maciej Niedźwiecki and Janusz Springer and Piotr Czauderna and Mieszko Czapliński and Ninela Irga-Jaworska and Monika Lejman},
  journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.3390/jcm15218758},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8758},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Clinical Presentations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Children with Leukaemia Treated with Chemotherapy—A Series of 5 Cases with Discussion
AU  - Maciej Niedźwiecki
AU  - Janusz Springer
AU  - Piotr Czauderna
AU  - Mieszko Czapliński
AU  - Ninela Irga-Jaworska
AU  - Monika Lejman
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/09
JO  - Journal of Clinical Medicine
DO  - 10.3390/jcm15218758
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8758
AB  - Background: Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients with haematological malignancies. Severe neutropenia and antimicrobial resistance complicate treatment, while the roles of surgery and supportive therapies remain uncertain. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed five paediatric patients with leukaemia who developed life-threatening P. aeruginosa infections during chemotherapy. Cases were identified through a tertiary paediatric oncology centre’s clinical registry and verified using archived medical records. Clinical, microbiological, therapeutic, and outcome data, including surgical interventions, supportive therapies, and chemotherapy interruptions, were analysed. Results: All five patients developed severe infections during chemotherapy. EG affected the perineal or genital region in several cases, including two cases of Fournier’s gangrene. Four patients underwent surgical excision or debridement; surgery was not feasible in one because of critical deterioration. All received antimicrobials, with regimens adjusted according to microbiological findings and susceptibility profiles. Supportive treatments included granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, immunoglobulins, and granulocyte transfusions. Two patients survived into adulthood, including one who remained in remission after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; three died, one from infection-associated multiorgan failure before surgery, one following leukaemia relapse, and one from post-transplant complications. Infection and its treatment substantially delayed or modified chemotherapy. Conclusions: EG associated with P. aeruginosa during paediatric leukaemia treatment can cause death and disrupt anticancer therapy. Early multidisciplinary assessment, appropriate antimicrobial treatment, and timely surgical management of necrotic tissue should be considered when feasible. Immunomodulatory interventions and discharge between chemotherapy cycles may benefit selected patients, but their efficacy cannot be established from this small retrospective series. Further multicentre studies are needed to clarify optimal management.
SN  - 2077-0383
ER  -