COVID-19 in children accounts for up to 8% of all the cases and is less severe than in adults. This could be an underestimation. A significant number of children are asymptomatic. Symptomatic infection is hard to distinguish from other respiratory tract viral infections based on symptoms and laboratory results. Anosmia is the only symptom in children that is highly suggestive of COVID-19. Infected children mostly have a positive household member. However, the role of children in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is still controversial. Data suggest that schoolchildren have a greater impact in SARS-CoV-2 transmission compared to younger children. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is a new entity reported since April 2020 and is considered a rare complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It occurs in previously healthy older children and adolescents presenting with multisystem involvement and elevated inflammatory markers. Most children respond well to immune-modifying therapy. Treatment of COVID-19 in children is based solely on data received from adults and consists of supportive treatment and, in rare occasions, antiviral therapy (remdesivir), corticosteroids (dexamethasone) and monoclonal antibodies (tocilizumab). Further studies in children are needed in order to better understand this disease. This article discusses clinical presentation and therapeutic options for COVID-19 in children.
Foreign body aspiration is an important emergency and cause of morbidity and mortality in children. We present a 17-month-old boy who developed pneumonia and atelectasis a few weeks after unnoticed peanut inhalation. Despite prompt foreign body removal atelectasis persisted for three months. This case highlights the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of foreign body aspiration.
Background Campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of acute gastroenteritis, but central nervous system infections are rare manifestations of Campylobacter infection. Therefore, C. jejuni trauma-related subdural hygroma infection in children is poorly described in the literature. Case presentation We described a 2-year old boy with lobar holoprosencephaly presenting with subdural hygroma following head trauma. C. jejuni infection was confirmed from a subdural hygroma sample by culture as well as by DNA sequencing of a broad range 16S rDNA PCR product. Cerebrospinal fluid from the ventriculoperitoneal shunt remained sterile. Combined neurosurgical and antimicrobial treatment led to complete recovery. Review of the literature showed that the most common manifestation of Campylobacter central nervous system infection is meningitis, mostly in neonates, and subdural hygroma infection was described for only one case. Conclusions Subdural hygroma infection caused by C. jejuni is a rare clinical condition in children. Molecular methods represent an important tool for the detection of rare or unexpected pathogens. No standard recommendations for antimicrobial treatment of C. jejuni subdural space infection in children are available, but meropenem treatment combined with surgery seems to be an effective approach.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze clinical manifestations, epidemiology and laboratory parameters of B. henselae infection among children treated at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, Zagreb from January 2014 until June 2019. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the epidemiology, clinical and laboratory characteristics among children with positive indirect immunofluorescence assay for B. henselae IgM and IgG or positive B. henselae polymerase chain reaction from lymph node aspirate. Results: A total of 104 patients, 47 (45,1%) female and 57 (54,8%) male were enrolled. The median age was 9,7 (range, 1,1 to 17,3 years). A history of cat contact was present in 101 (97,1%) children. Acute infection was serologically confirmed in 87 (83,6%), in 5 (4,8%) with PCR while both methods were positive in 12 (11,5%) patients. The presentation on B. henselae infection were regional lymphadenopathy , disseminated disease, encephalopathy and fever of unknown origin. Suppurative inflammation was the most common complication in patients with lymphadenopathy 12/92 (13%). Full recovery was the most frequent outcome (96,1%). Conclusion lesion: B. henselae infection among children is usually a mild disease presented as regional lymphadenopathy. Serology and polymerase chain reaction are useful tests for diagnosis. Treatment duration and choice of therapy depend on clinical manifestation and developed complications.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.