Infections in patients with leukemia and lymphoma

Abstract

Infectious complications remain a significant issue in the care of patients with hematologic malignancies. Inherent immune defects related to the primary disease process are present in patients with disorders such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia, and Hodgkin lymphoma. Therapy-related immunosuppression is also commonplace in these patients. This includes not only treatment-related neutropenia, but also defects in cell-mediated immunity, such as those that occur with purine analog therapy. In this chapter, we will review the pathogenesis of infection in these disorders, as well as the spectrum of infectious complications seen and suggested strategies for the prevention of infection.