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Background There is some concern about the safety of nifurtimox (NF) for the offspring of treated women. Potential genotoxicity of NF was reported in in vitro models. However, the evidence to support the risks in fetal development is lacking for humans. In addition, a preventative effect over transplacental transmission was reported in girls and women with T.cruzi infection treated before pregnancy (mainly with benznidazole). Methods A multicenter, randomized, double-blind phase 3 clinical trial (NCT02625974) was set up to evaluate safety and efficacy of NF. A total of 330 patients, younger 18 years old, were enrolled, 67 were females of child-bearing age. The enrolled females of childbearing age agreed to use an effective method of contraception until 3 months after the last administration of NF. Pregnancy tests were performed at screening, during treatment and 30 days after end of treatment. Results No pregnancies were reported during treatment period. There were 5 pregnancies reported during the 1st year of post-treatment follow-up and another 21 pregnancies during the additional 3-year follow-up period. Two mothers did not consent to have their babies tested for T cruzi infection, and in one case an abortion was reported. Two women gave birth twice. There was information about transplacental transmission available in 18 babies. All mothers were T.cruzi RT-PCR negative at the end of the treatment period and remained negative during follow up. All newborns were live, healthy full-term and of weight appropriate for their gestational age, and had no perinatal complications except one baby who was healthy but small for gestational age. T.cruzi infection was ruled out by a negative direct parasitological test during the first days of life in 12 infants , and /or by ELISA T.cruzi serology at 8 -12 months of age in 14 infants, which was negative in all cases. Conclusion Our results showed that treatment of females on childbearing age with nifurtimox may prevent transplacental transmission of CD as was reported previously for benznidazole. Disclosures Jaime ALTCHEH, Sr., MD,PhD, Bayer: Advisor/Consultant.

Molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants was performed on a total of 2,406 samples from the capital city and nine provinces of Argentina, during 30 epidemiological weeks (EW) that covered the end of the first wave and the beginning of the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country (EW 44/2020 to EW 20/2021). The surveillance strategy was mainly based on Sanger sequencing of a Spike coding region that allows the simultaneous identification of signature mutations associated with worldwide circulating variants. In addition, whole SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were obtained from 456 samples. The main variants found were Gamma, Lambda and Alpha, and to a lesser extent, Zeta and Epsilon. Whereas Gamma dominated in different regions of the country, both Gamma and Lambda prevailed in the most populated area, the metropolitan region of Buenos Aires (MABA), although showing a heterogeneous distribution along this region. This cost-effective surveillance protocol allowed for a rapid response in a limited access to resources scenario, added information on the expansion of the Lambda variant in South America and contributed to the implementation of public health measures to control the disease spread in Argentina.

The current evidence indicates that the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is lower in the pediatric population but local data are still limited. Objective: To characterize the clinical and epidemiological aspects of COVID-19 infection in patients younger than 18 years in Argentina.Cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study of confirmed COVID-19 patients aged 0-18 years seen between March 2020 and March 2021 at 19 referral children's hospitals of Argentina. A multivariate analysis was done to identify predictors of severe cases.A total of 2690 COVID-19 cases were included: 77.7% lived in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires; 50.1% were males; patients' median age was 5.6 years. Of them, 90% were seen during epidemiological weeks 20-47 of 2020; 60.4% had a history of contact with COVID-19 patients; and 96.6% in their family setting. Also, 51.4% had respiratory symptoms; 61.6%, general symptoms; 18.8%, gastrointestinal symptoms; 17.1%, neurological symptoms; 7.2%, other symptoms; and 21.5% were asymptomatic. In addition, 59.4% of patients were hospitalized and 7.4% had a severe or critical course. A total of 57 patients developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome. A history of asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital heart disease, moderate to severe malnutrition, obesity, chronic neurological disease and/or age younger than 6 months were independent predictors of severity. Living in a vulnerable neighborhood was a protective factor.More than half of cases referred a history of contact with COVID-19 patients in the family setting. Hospitalization was not based on clinical criteria of severity. Severity was associated with the presence of certain comorbidities.Introducción. La evidencia actual indica que la gravedad de la enfermedad por el coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19, por su sigla en inglés) es menor en la población pediátrica, los datos locales aún son limitados.caracterizar los aspectos clínicos y epidemiológicos de la infección por COVID-19 en menores de 18 años en Argentina. Población y métodos. Estudio transversal, observacional y analítico de casos confirmados de COVID-19 entre 0 y 18 años asistidos entre marzo de 2020 y marzo de 2021 en 19 centros pediátricos de referencia de Argentina. Se realizó un análisis multivariado para identificar las variables predictoras de cuadros graves.Se incluyeron 2690 casos de COVID-19: 77,7 % residentes del área metropolitana de Buenos Aires, 50,1 % de sexo masculino, mediana de edad de 5,6 años. El 90 % ocurrió entre las semanas epidemiológicas 2047 del 2020; 60,4 % con antecedente de contacto con personas con COVID-19; y 96,6 % en el entorno familiar. El 51,4 % presentó síntomas respiratorios; 61,6 % síntomas generales; 18,8 % síntomas gastrointestinales; 17,1 % síntomas neurológicos; 7,2 % otros y 21,5 % fueron asintomáticos. El 59,4 % fue hospitalizado; 7,4 % fueron graves o críticos. Se registraron 57 casos de síndrome inflamatorio multisistémico. El antecedente de asma, displasia broncopulmonar, cardiopatía congénita, desnutrición moderada a grave, obesidad, enfermedad neurológica crónica y/o edad menor de 6 meses resultaron predictores independientes de gravedad. Residir en barrios vulnerables resultó protector.Más de la mitad de los casos refirieron antecedente de contacto con personas con COVID-19 en el entorno familiar. La hospitalización no respondió a criterios clínicos de gravedad. La gravedad se encuentra asociada a la existencia de ciertas comorbilidades.

Five hundred and thirty-seven children admitted to Hospital Dr. Notti and diagnosed with invasive pneumococcal disease between 1993 and 2011 were studied. Their median age was 19 months (range= 0-192 months); 34.82% were 60 months old. Pneumonia with or without effusion (48.04%) and meningitis (29.05%) were the most predominant conditions, with a case fatality rate of 6.14%. Identified serotypes corresponded to 14, 5 and 1 in56.86% of cases. Sensitivity to penicillin was observed in99.74% of non-meningeal strains, while sensitivity to ceftriaxone was found in 98.08% ofmeningeal strains. Risk factors inpneumonia with effusionwere associated to age >60 months old, RR: 1.47 (1.06-2.04), p= 0.02, to serotype 5, RR: 2.57 (1.71-3.87), p= 0.0001, and to serotype 1, RR: 1.86 (1.17-2.96), p= 0.014; in the case of meningitis, risk factors were mainly associated to age

Skin and soft tissue infections are a common reason for consultation in primary health care centers. Data from the local epidemiology of these infections are rare, but Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes are known to be the major etiologic agents. The appearance in recent years of community-originated strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and erythromycin-resistant pyogenes raises controversy in the choice of initial empirical treatment. This national consensus is for pediatricians, dermatologists, infectologists and other health professionals. It is about clinical management, especially the diagnosis and treatment of community-originated skin and soft tissue infections in immunocompetent patients under the age of 19.

Five hundred and thirty-seven children admitted to Hospital Dr. Notti and diagnosed with invasive pneumococcal disease between 1993 and 2011 were studied. Their median age was 19 months (range= 0-192 months); 34.82% were1 year old and 23.46%,60 months old. Pneumonia with or without effusion (48.04%) and meningitis (29.05%) were the most predominant conditions, with a case fatality rate of 6.14%. Identified serotypes corresponded to 14, 5 and 1 in56.86% of cases. Sensitivity to penicillin was observed in99.74% of non-meningeal strains, while sensitivity to ceftriaxone was found in 98.08% ofmeningeal strains. Risk factors inpneumonia with effusionwere associated to age60 months old, RR: 1.47 (1.06-2.04), p= 0.02, to serotype 5, RR: 2.57 (1.71-3.87), p= 0.0001, and to serotype 1, RR: 1.86 (1.17-2.96), p= 0.014; in the case of meningitis, risk factors were mainly associated to age1 year old, RR: 2.35 (1.87-3.06), p= 0.0000, and to serotype 18C, RR: 2.19 (1.3-3.7), p= 0.024. Conclusion. Streptococcus pneumonia was a major problem in infants younger than one year old, who predominantly developed meningitis which caused half of deaths, and in children older than 60 months old, who had a prevalence of pneumonia with effusion. Most cases were sensitive to penicillin and ceftriaxone.

In Argentina, pandemic influenza pH1N1 caused nearly 10,000 confirmed cases with high impact in pediatrics.To describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics and analyse the risk factor of lethality in children hospitalized with infection pH1N1 confirmed by PCR.We identifed all suspected cases (according to Ministry of health) in 34 centers and we included all the confirmed cases of 0-18 years from 1/4/09 to 31/8/09 in a retrospective cohort study. The viral diagnosis was confirmed by RT-PCR method. Data are expressed in percentages, average, median, standard deviation, and range (IQR) as appropriate; and as a measure of association, relative risk (RR), with 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine the independent risk predictors.Total number of suspected cases were: 2367; PCR was performed to 47.8% (n: 1131) being positive for pH1N1 65.5% (n: 741/1131); 57.2% males; 61.5%24 months, median age: 14 months (IQR 6-46 months); 45.1% with underlying disease; more frequent clinical pictures were: pneumonia (39,7%) and bronchiolitis 25.8%; Case-fatality rate: 5.9% (44/741). Mortality risk factors were [RR (95%CI)]: neurological disease [5.00 (2.84-8.81)], genetic disease [3.67 (1.58-8.52)], malnutrition [3,07 (1.46-6.48)] and prematurity [2.28 (1.14-4.56)]. Independent mortality predictor: neurological disease [3.84 (1.81-8.14)]. No significant association between age, chronic respiratory disease, immunosuppression and viral co-infection with lethality was observed.Almost half of children with pH1N1 infection had underlying disease; the neurological condition was a separate CFR predictor.

interactions (both compliant and non-compliant) and was converted into a compliance rate. If a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) was identified, the interactions leading up to the event was reviewed to ascertain whether hand hygiene adherence played a possible role in transmission. The aggregated information was posted electronically on a monitor for real-time feedback to staff and included data on current usage and compliance rates and was also accessible by individual employees on the computer. Any of the data was able to be accessed with the click of a mouse for any defined time period. Data was able to be stratified by individual, unit, department, and discipline. EHHS was also able to send email reports regarding usage and rates to selective HCWs. Results: During the study period, hand hygiene compliance was as follows: 97% in 2011 (97,442 patient interactions); 94% in 2010 (9,788 interactions); 99% in 2009 (160 interactions); 98% in 2008 (102 interactions). Lesson Learned: Traditional data collection and extrapolation methods are time consuming and labor intensive to use. They tend to be biased by user subjectivity and offer a finite view of select patient interactions. EHHS reporting saves time and labor costs, objectively measures hand hygiene compliance continuously, presents information clearly and concisely, can be easily disseminated for real time feedback, and is available 24/7. Non-compliance can be addressed almost immediately. This newer technology allows for enhanced surveillance and improvement in both clinical outcomes and patient safety.