Enterobacter bacteremia in pediatric patients.

Enterobacter has emerged as an important human pathogen, particularly in sick, hospitalized patients. Previous reports of nonepidemic enterobacter bacteremia have focused on adult patients. In this report, the epidemiologic factors, clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome for 33 patients with enterobacter bacteremia in a large children's hospital during a 5-year period are reviewed. The ratio of males to females was 1.2:1. The patients' ages ranged from 2 days to 24 years, and 18 patients were less than 18 months old. Twenty-two cases were nosocomially acquired; six were polymicrobial in nature. Significantly underlying conditions were present in 32 patients. The biliary tract and central venous catheters were the most common sources of bacteremia. Two-thirds of patients had preceding antibiotic therapy. The overall mortality was 24%; mortality attributable to enterobacter bacteremia was 18%. Statistically significant differences in mortality were associated with an age less than 18 months (P = .031) or thrombocytopenia (P = .017); presence of fever was of borderline significance (P = .098). Enterobacter bacteremia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients.