DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Undergoing cytologic chemotherapy for hematological/oncological disease

• Must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Documented mannose-binding lectin (MBL) levels < 300 ng/mm³ within the past week
  • Fever (oral temperature > 100.4° F)
  • Neutropenia, defined as absolute neutrophil count ≤ 1,000/mm³ with the anticipation that the counts will fall below 500/mm^3
  • Receiving broad spectrum antibiotic therapy for fever and neutropenia

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• No serious illness, in the opinion of the principal investigator, that would preclude study compliance
• No known allergic reactions to mannose-binding lectin or other human plasma products
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier method contraception during and for ≥ 30 days after completion of study treatment
• AST and ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.5 times ULN

• Creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min OR creatinine based on age as follows:

  • No more than 0.8 mg/dL (for patients 5 years of age and under)
  • No more than 1.0 mg/dL (for patients 6-9 years of age)
  • No more than 1.2 mg/dL (for patients 10-12 years of age)
  • No more than 1.4 mg/dL (for patients over 13 years of age [female])
  • No more than 1.5 mg/dL (for patients 13-15 years of age [male])
  • No more than 1.7 mg/dL (for patients of 16 years of age [male])
• No poor venous access that would preclude IV drug delivery or multiple blood draws
• Patients on hemodialysis must be able to tolerate IV fluid on non-dialysis days

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics

• More than 30 days since prior investigational agents

  • Investigational use of an FDA-approved drug allowed
• No concurrent preparative regimen for a bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
• No concurrent participation in another clinical trial with an investigational agent