Invasive aspergillosis and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children: a 15-year experience.

Despite progress in diagnosis and treatment, invasive aspergillosis (IA) remains a principal cause of mortality due to infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). In order to clarify the course of IA among children receiving an AHSCT before the advent of new drugs such as voriconazole or caspofungin, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all proven and probable IA between January 1986 and December 2000. 1) Ten children developed IA after AHSCT, mostly long after transplantation. Overall incidence was 2.7%. Seven of those children experienced 1 or more complications after AHSCT and before IA. Mortality was 90% with a median survival of 23 days (2-90). 2) Five children underwent AHSCT after a previous episode of IA. All patients were treated with systemic antifungal therapy combined with surgery. Median time between IA and AHSCT was 110 days (73-370). Two children were diagnosed with IA relapse after transplantation. One child was cured while the other died of IA and AHSCT complications. AHSCT could be considered even in the setting of previous IA, but established strategies implementing newer less toxic antifungal agents as treatment or prophylaxis in high-risk patients are needed.