Unusual presentations of infection in neutropenic patients

Neutropenic patients may have unusual presentations of infection because of their inability to mount an adequate inflammatory response and their susceptibility to infection caused by less virulent organisms. About 60% of febrile episodes are associated with no other signs and symptoms and no infecting organism can be identified, yet most respond to antibacterial therapy. If not treated promptly, infection in neutropenic patients can progress rapidly. Unusual sites of infection include typhlitis, perirectal infections and atypical forms of cellulitis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.