ABSTRACT
Despite numerous advances in the management of patients with cancer, infection remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Studies suggest that 5-10% of all hospitalized patients and 9-12% of all hospitalized patients with cancer will develop a nosocomial infection.1,2 Patients who have a hematological malignancy, undergo a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), or require admission to an intensive care unit appear to have the highest risk.3,4 One study found that 48.3 infections occur for every hundred neutropenic patient-days.3 The high rate of nosocomial infection in cancer patients highlights the need for effective and consistent infection control within oncology centers. Nosocomial pathogens of increased frequency and severity in cancer patients include many species of bacteria, fungi such as Aspergillus and Candida, and respiratory viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In addition, cancer patients have substantial morbidity due to intravenous catheter infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. This chapter will review environmental factors that contribute to an increased risk for nosocomial infection in the cancer patient and outline mechanisms for infection control.
