Frequency of Gram-Positive Bacteria Isolated From Cancer Patients on Chemotherapy

Abstract

This was a descriptive, prospective study aiming to study the Grampositive bacteria in the blood among cancer patient on chemotherapy. Fifty neutropenic cancer patients were studied. Five to 10 ml samples of blood from 50 patients were collected from each patient, and then the samples were inoculated into different culture media to isolate the pathogenic organisms and identified with biochemical test to differentiate between organisms. The culture media were; Blood agar; Macconky agar and Sabrouds agar. And then the samples of growth colonies confirmed, identified with biochemical tests as catalase and coagulase. And detection of organisms under microscope based on shape and color of each organisms. The study revealed that the frequency of Gram positive cocci species in neutropenic cancer patients which were represented in (12 cases) 24% of all 50 cases. It may be concluded, that the Staphylococcal infections, especially Staphylococcus aureus are significantly associated with neoplastic disease than other Staphylococcus Species, especially in patients with hematological malignancies as leukemia�s