Search

Background/aim: Differentiating multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) from adenovirus infection (AI) can be challenging due to similar clinical and laboratory findings. This study aimed to identify distinguishing characteristics and develop a scoring system to facilitate accurate diagnosis. Materials and methods: A comprehensive review of medical records was undertaken for 108 MIS-C patients and 259 patients with confirmed AI. A comparison of laboratory data and clinical findings was conducted across the patient groups using appropriate statistical tests. Results: The MIS-C patients were significantly older than the AI patients (p < 0.001). Diarrhea, rash, abdominal pain, vomiting, nonexudative conjunctivitis, lymphadenopathy tachycardia, bradycardia, hypotension, hypoxia seizures, agitation, headache, and altered consciousness symptoms were more frequently associated with MIS-C (p < 0.001), while cough and runny nose were significantly more common in AI (p < 0.001). Lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia were more prevalent in the MIS-C patients (p < 0.001). AI and MIS-C were scored by giving one point each to the parameters that created the difference. For AI, being =60 months of age, the presence of cough, runny nose and absence of diarrhea, rash, abdominal pain, vomiting, nonexudative conjunctivitis, lymphadenopathy, tachycardia, bradycardia, hypotension, hypoxia seizures, agitation, headache, and altered consciousness, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and C-reactive protein value <124.5 mg/L were determined as each parameter plus one point. A total score above 14 could predict AI with a high degree of accuracy, with sensitivity at around 97.5% and specificity at 92.6%. Conclusion: The proposed inpatient scoring system, when used in conjunction with polymerase chain reaction testing, may improve the early differentiation of AI and MIS-C. This approach could help reduce unnecessary testing and optimize resource allocation. Further research with larger samples should investigate this novel scoring system to establish its reliability and generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a pediatric case of Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) presenting with parotitis, a rare manifestation of the disease. Topics include the clinical features of FMF, its genetic basis, the role of colchicine in treatment, and the unusual presentation of parotitis followed by orchitis in a 4-year-old patient, highlighting the importance of considering FMF in atypical cases.

Copyright of Journal of Pediatric Infection / Çocuk Enfeksiyon Dergisi is the property of Journal of Pediatric Infection / Cocuk Enfeksiyon Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Pediatric Infection / Çocuk Enfeksiyon Dergisi is the property of Journal of Pediatric Infection / Cocuk Enfeksiyon Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The increasing worldwide prevalence of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) bacteria underscores the pressing demand for innovative therapeutic solutions. Ceftazidime‐avibactam (CAZ‐AVI) represents a promising new drug combination that has received approval for specific infection types. However, there is limited information regarding its application in pediatric patients. Methods: This study investigates the effectiveness and adverse reactions associated with CAZ‐AVI treatment in pediatric patients with life‐threatening infections caused by MDR pathogens. The study was conducted at a tertiary children's hospital between December, 2021 and July, 2023. Results: A total of 21 patients with life‐threatening infections caused by MDR pathogens were enrolled in the study. All patients had underlying medical conditions: 10 had cerebral palsy, four had congenital neurometabolic disease, two had Nieman–Pick disease, two had cystic fibrosis, two had primary immunodeficiency, and one had leukemia. Among these, 12 patients had tracheostomies. Eight patients received CAZ‐ AVI monotherapy, and 13 patients received combination therapy. Microbiological eradication was achieved in 18 patients (85.7%), and a clinical response was observed in 20 patients (95.2%). Two patients (9.5%) experienced relapse with the same bacteria. One patient developed anaphylaxis, and one patient had elevated creatine phosphokinase levels that normalized following discontinuation of treatment. One patient died during the study period due to gastrointestinal bleeding. Conclusions: Ceftazidime‐avibactam may be a promising new drug option for the treatment of life‐threatening infections caused by MDR Gram‐negative microorganisms in pediatric patients. However, further studies with larger case series are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of CAZ‐AVI in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), characterized by fever, inflammation, and multiorgan dysfunction, was newly defined after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The clinical spectrum of MIS-C can be classified as mild, moderate, and severe. We aimed to evaluate demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory findings, and treatment modalities of patients with MIS-C according to clinical severity. Methods We performed a retrospective study of patients who were diagnosed as having MIS-C between September 2020 and October 2021 in the Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine, Türkiye. Results A total of 48 patients (24 females and 24 males) with a median age at diagnosis of 10.3 years (range: 42 months–17 years) were enrolled, the most common clinical severity of MIS-C was moderate. The common presentations of patients were fever (97%), nonpurulent conjunctivitis (89.6%), rashes (81.3%), fatigue (81.3%), strawberry tongue (79.2%), and myalgia (68.8%). The most common laboratory findings were lymphopenia (81.2%), thrombocytopenia (54.1%), elevated D-dimer levels (89.5%), C-reactive protein (CRP; 100%), procalcitonin (97%), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (87.5%), ferritin (95.8%), interleukin 6 (IL-6) (86.1%), and probrain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) (97%). High levels of CRP, procalcitonin, pro-BNP, and urea were associated with the severity of MIS-C (p < 0.05). Fifteen of the patients were found to have pulmonary involvement. Ascites were the most common finding on abdominal ultrasonography (11 patients) and were not seen in a mild form of the disease. During the study period, two patients died. Conclusion It is important to make patient-based decisions and apply a stepwise approach in treating patients with MIS-C due to the increased risk of complications and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Influenza virus infections are infectious agents which lead to epidemics and pandemics, are associated with severe morbidity and mortality, and still maintain their importance worldwide. This study was planned due to the fact that influenza virus infections are associated with complications and hospitalizations in infants under 1 year of age. Material and Method: 56 infants diagnosed with influenza between October 2017 and February 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Mean age of the patients was 5.6±2.1 (2-11) months. Of the patients; 46.5% were followed-up in an inpatient setting and 53.5% in an outpatient setting. 22 patients were diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction method and 34 by rapid antigen test. Of the patients; 53.5% (n=30) were followed-up with diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infections, 33.9% (n=19) with pneumonia, 10.7% (n=6) with sepsis and 1.7% (n=1) with encephalitis. Mean duration of hospital stay was determined to be 8.32 (2-38) days. Conclusion: Influenza virus infections cause a high rate of hospitalizations in infants younger than one year old, it is necessary to determine with fast and accurate diagnostic methods, to arrange their treatment and to provide appropriate isolation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shewanella algae is a common microorganism in nature, but a rare pathogen in humans. It is a causative agent of skin and soft tissue infections, especially in patients with skin ulcers or trauma. S. algae can enter the body through the eyes, ears, gastrointestinal tract, or respiratory tract. Immunocompromised individuals are at increased risk of developing bacteremia and sepsis from the infection. This report presents a case of posttraumatic soft tissue infection caused by S. algae in an 18-year-old male after swimming in the sea. The bacteria were cultured from the wound site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cystic echinococcosis is a parasitic disease with significant importance for public health in endemic regions. Spinal cystic echinococcosis, however, is a rare form that may lead to severe complications due to its localization. In this manuscript, we presented a 16-year-old male patient who admitted with abdominal and back edema for 2 months, evaluated with preliminary diagnoses of Pott's abscess and malignant mass, subsequently diagnosed with spinal cystic echinococcosis. It was concluded that cystic echinococcosis should be considered in differential diagnosis of large cystic masses and percutaneous aspiration, injection, reaspiration method might be a safe and effective treatment option particularly for cases of complicated spinal cystic echinococcosis., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.