Managing neutropenic sepsis

摘要

The fever of flu may mimic neutropenic fever. Therefore a policy for managing fever duringthe A/H1N1 flu pandemic in patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy has been developed with detailed advice from Professor Nick Phin and Dr Hongxin Zhao of the Health Protection Agency. Patients receiving chemotherapy who develop a fever should telephone the emergency number of their haematology or oncology unit for advice, not the National Pandemic Flu Service.If assessed in hospital, patients should wear a surgical maskand be seen in a single room by healthcare professionals using personal protective equipment. A virological swab should be taken and biochemical tests ordered in addition to the usual tests. Other identified causes of fever with a normal or raised neutrophil count should be treated as appropriate. Patients who are not neutropenic and may have flu should be sent home with a course of oseltamivir, given at the point of contact with the hospital and with advice to self isolate and to take g'eneral respiratory and personal hygiene measures.