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Aim: The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, which covered seven serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae (PCV7), was introduced in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2007. It was replaced by a 13‐valent vaccine (PCV13) in 2011. We previously reported a decreased incidence of pneumonia and sinusitis among young children 4 years after the introduction of the PCV7. This study followed the incidence of pneumonia, sinusitis, mastoiditis and meningitis for four more years. Methods: We studied validated hospital registry data covering children up to 17 years of age, who were hospitalised in the Stockholm region from 2003 to 2016, when the child population peaked at 485 687. All 11 115 cases diagnosed with pneumonia, coded as bacterial pneumonia, sinusitis, mastoiditis, bacterial meningitis or empyema, were identified. The controls had viral pneumonia or pyelonephritis. Results: The incidence rates for children under 2 years of age hospitalised for sinusitis, mastoiditis and meningitis decreased significantly by 61%–79% during the eight‐year post‐vaccination period. Hospitalisations for bacterial pneumonia decreased by 19%–25% in the same age group. These changes were probably due to both the vaccines and changes in diagnosis routines. Conclusion: The effect of vaccination on children under 2 years of age was sustained 8 years after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccination against rotavirus was offered in Stockholm to children born on 1 March 2014 and onwards with 85% coverage after two years. We investigated changes in nosocomial diarrhoea 2010—2018 in children admitted to Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Methods: We retrospectively identified cases from diagnostic and virology department registers. Complications and chronic medical conditions were retrieved from the case records. Children <18 years of age who developed diarrhoea ≥48 h after admission for another diagnosis and had a faecal sample submitted to the virology department were included. Results: There were 474 episodes of nosocomial diarrhoea. Of these, 401 (85%) occurred in children with chronic medical conditions. In children <5 years the rates of nosocomial rotavirus gastroenteritis, with 95% confidence intervals, significantly decreased from 0.34 (0.25—0.45) per 100 admissions prevaccination to 0.09 (0.04—0.17) postvaccination and from 0,66 (0.48—0.88) to 0.16 (0.07—0.30) cases per 1000 hospital days. Postvaccination norovirus became the most frequent pathogen. Virus-positive cases were more common in young children and in winter months. Conclusions: Before the initiation of rotavirus vaccination, norovirus and rotavirus were equally common causes of nosocomial diarrhoea. Postvaccination, rotavirus was reduced by approximately 75% while the frequency of other viruses did not change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Stockholm, Sweden, rotavirus vaccination was offered to children born after 1 March 2014. Our aim was to describe rates of hospitalisation due to community-acquired gastroenteritis before and after the introduction of the vaccine, and aetiology, underlying medical conditions and complications in admitted children. We retrospectively included patients from our catchment area hospitalised with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis during ten infection seasons 2008/2009–2017/2018, whereof six seasons prevaccination and four seasons postvaccination. We studied virus detection data and the patients' medical records. We included 3718 episodes in 3513 children. In 2967 (80%), stools were tested with virus isolation, ELISA, PCR, or bacterial culture; 479 (16%) tested negative. The incidence rates, with 95% confidence intervals, for children <5 years hospitalised for rotavirus gastroenteritis were 2.9 (2.8–3.1) per 1000 person-years prevaccination and 0.65 (0.56–0.74) postvaccination, for a rate ratio (RR) of 0.22 (0.19–0.26, p <.001). The rates for all-cause gastroenteritis were 5.6 (5.4–5.9) prevaccination and 2.5 (2.3–2.7) postvaccination, RR 0.45 (0.42–0.50, p <.001). In 5–17-year-old children norovirus dominated with little change over time. Of patients <5 years, those with underlying conditions constituted a larger proportion postvaccination than prevaccination (30.7% vs. 24.2%, p <.001). A complication other than dehydration, most commonly seizures, arose in 8.8% of the patients <5 years prevaccination and 11.4% postvaccination (p <.05). Rotavirus vaccination reduced the number of children <5 years requiring hospital care for gastroenteritis. We saw no replacement of rotavirus by other viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixty-five children born to women who all used amphetamine during pregnancy were followed prospectively up to the age of 8 years. There was a statistically significant correlation between the extent (among and duration) of amphetamine exposure during fetal life and psychometric tests, aggressive behavior, adjustment and general assessment, indicating a worse outcome for children who had been more exposed to the drug. Alcohol use during pregnancy as well as attitude towards pregnancy also showed a statistical correlation to the outcome. Predictors of the child's psychosocial environment were few and only maternal psychiatric treatment, alcohol abuse and number of custodians correlated with aggressive behavior and general assessment.

Aim: Since the introduction in 1979 of rapid testing using immunofluorescence, we have collected information about children hospitalised for confirmed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the northern Stockholm area. We here report hospitalisation rates, risk factors and complications in 2008‐2016 compared with 1986‐1998. Methods: Microbiological laboratory reports and retrospective chart review. Comparison of the two periods was complicated by changing testing routines, with a more sensitive method and increased testing of older children in the late period. Results: In infants, there was an 12.3% increase in the population‐based rate of hospital admission for RSV infection from 12.2 to 13.7/1000. Including all children <5 years, there was a 48% increase from 2.7 to 4.0/1000. The median length of stay remained unchanged at 3 days. The need of intensive care decreased in healthy infants but remained high in older children with comorbidity. Conclusion: Considering the changed diagnosis routines, we believe that the rate of hospital admission of infants for RSV infection was unchanged throughout the observed years. The increased rates of older children with confirmed RSV likely resulted from increased testing of children with risk factors for a complicated course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]