169. Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Are Common Cause of Neutropenic Fever and Increase Mortality Among Patients with Hematologic Malignancies in Uganda

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients are at risk of developing severe infections. Empiric management of infections is complicated by emerging antimicrobial resistance and changing local epidemiology of organisms. We sought to determine predominant species causing bacteremia, their antimicrobial resistance profiles, and their contribution to mortality among hematologic cancer patients with febrile neutropenia at the Uganda Cancer Institute. METHODS: Blood drawn from participants during a febrile neutropenic episode (FNE; fever ≥37.5°C and neutrophil count ≤1,000 cells/µL) was cultured in the BACTEC 9120 blood culture system. Bacteria from positive cultures were identified biochemically. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed with the disc diffusion method. Logistic regression and proportional hazards regression were applied to estimate associations between participant characteristics and FNE, bacteremia, and mortality. RESULTS: Of 246 participants, 74 (30%) had an FNE. During the first FNE, 6/21 (29%) participants with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) developed bacteremia compared with 16/31 (52%) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (OR 2.22 (0.65, 7.4)). AML patients were specifically at higher risk of Gram-negative bacteremia (OR 4.59 (1.09, 19.3). Of the 41 aerobic bacteria isolated, 32 (78%) were Gram-negative, the most common being Klebsiella pneumoniae (11; 34%). Seventeen (53%) of the Gram-negative bacteria displayed the extended spectrum β lactamase phenotype and 5 (16%) were resistant to carbapenems. One of the eight Enterococcus species was vancomycin resistant. Overall survival among patients with FNE was 54% at 30 days and 19% at 100 days. Bacteremia was associated with higher mortality within 30 days (HR 2.1 (0.99, 4.45)) and 100 days (31% vs.10%; HR 2.23 (1.09, 4.59)). CONCLUSION: Multidrug-resistant bacteria are the main cause of bacteremia and increase mortality in febrile neutropenic hematologic cancer patients at the UCI. Enhanced microbial surveillance, infection control and antimicrobial stewardship programs are needed to guide therapy and address emerging antimicrobial resistance at our institution. DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.