BackgroundAlthough intravenous acyclovir therapy is recommended for varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in immunocompromised children, the clinical characteristics and outcomes of VZV infection in the acyclovir era have rarely been reported.MethodsThe medical records of children diagnosed with varicella or herpes zoster virus, who had underlying hematologic malignancies, were retrospectively reviewed, and the clinical characteristics and outcomes of VZV infection were evaluated.ResultsSeventy-six episodes of VZV infection (herpes zoster in 57 and varicella in 19) were identified in 73 children. The median age of children with VZV infection was 11 years (range, 1-17), and 35 (46.1%) episodes occurred in boys. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia was the most common underlying malignancy (57.9%), and 90.8% of the episodes occurred during complete remission of the underlying malignancy. Acyclovir was administered for a median of 10 days (range, 4-97). Severe VZV infection occurred in 16 (21.1%) episodes. Although the finding was not statistically significant, a previous history of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) appeared to be associated with the development of more severe episodes of herpes zoster (P=0.075).ConclusionClinical characteristics of VZV infection in immunocompromised children were not significantly different from those without it, and clinical outcomes improved after the introduction of acyclovir therapy. However, risk factors for severe VZV infection require further investigation in a larger population and a prospective setting.
Purpose: We investigated the clinical features and epidemiology of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) from year 2006 to 2015 in Changwon city, Korea. Methods: We reviewed medical records of 69 patients diagnosed with SSSS from year 2006 to 2015. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by agar dilution method. Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was phenotypically identified by oxacillin susceptibility testing and genotypically confirmed by the existence of the mecA gene. Results: The median age of patients was 2.0 years (range 0.2-6 years). Three (4.3%), 53 (76.8%), and 13 (18.9%) patients showed the generalized type, the intermediate type, and the abortive type, respectively. Patients occurred throughout the year, but most patients occurred between July and October. MRSA was isolated from 54 of the 60 patients regardless of the clinical types. All patients recovered without any complications.
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