Neutropenic Sepsis

• Prompt diagnosis is vital to allow early rationalisation of treatment.
• Take blood (2 sets - 20mL per set) and urine cultures before starting treatment, plus swabs from any other focus of infection, e.g. sputum, wound etc
• Treat if neutrophil count <0.5 x 10⁹/L or <1.0 and falling.
• Do not wait for FBC to confirm neutropenia - start treatment if suspected.
• Follow local protocols.
• All haematology patients (all lymphomas, leukaemias and myelomas) should be treated as high risk
• Patients should be assessed within 15 minutes and antibiotics given as soon as possible, within 1 hour of diagnosis of sepsis.

 IV Piperacillin / tazobactam 4.5g 6 hourly

IV Piperacillin / tazobactam 4.5g 6 hourly

plus

Gentamicin^# IV (Hartford Regimen) as per guideline

Use preferred calculator on Hospital portals page [intranet access only] or calculator on app

^#Consider aztreonam IV as an alternative to gentamicin if eGFR <30ml/min (CKD>4) or known/ suspected AKI. 

In Mild penicillin allergy

IV Ceftazidime 2g 8 hourly

In severe penicillin allergy

IV Meropenem 1g 8 hourly

(only if benefits of treatment outweigh the risk of severe allergy)

In mild penicillin allergy:

IV Ceftazidime 2g IV 8 hourly

plus

Gentamicin^# IV (Hartford Regimen) as per guideline

Use preferred calculator on Hospital portals page [intranet access only] or calculator on app

^#Consider aztreonam IV as an alternative to gentamicin if eGFR 30ml/min (CKD>4) or known/ suspected AKI. 

In severe penicillin allergy

Meropenem* 1g 8 hourly

(only if benefits of treatment outweigh the risk of severe allergy)

IV Meropenem 1g 8 hourly