After the outbreak of 2019 novel corona virus infection in China, we have the outbreak of disease in Iran and until March 05, 2020 have been reported a total number of confirmed cases more than 3500 and approximately 3.3% deaths. The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection as a newly emerging disease in East Asia has caused a great challenge in managing the patients and controlling the disease especially in children. This algorithm is based on the standard diagnosis and treatment strategies for pediatric viral infections and available strategies to prevention of COVID-19 infection. It is hoped that with international cooperation , this global dilemma will end with the least burden of disease. Due to the lack of scientific evidences in children, this algorithm is essential for decision making.

Pertussis remains one of the etiologies of prolonged cough, even in communities with high immunization in children. The specificity of the WHO criteria is low in diagnosing pertussis compared with PCR.

Thanks to improved health standards in Iran over the past three decades, we have witnessed a shift in the causes of death in Iran from infectious causes to non-communicable diseases-mainly cardiovascular disorders, cancers, and road traffic injuries. The incidence and prevalence of many infectious diseases, such as many parasitic infections, have fallen significantly; there have been no reported cases of dracunculiasis in Iran since the mid-1970s. Great strides have also been made towards the elimination of schistosomiasis in Iran. However, we still have some problems with cutaneous leishmaniasis, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, infections among immunocompromised hosts, hospital-acquired infections, and antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. We need to emphasize improvements in sanitation, good clinical practice, and education about the rational administration of antibiotics.

Background: In December 2019, a new coronavirus appeared in China, as a cause of acute respiratory disease. Healthcare Workers (HCWs) in children's hospitals are one of the groups who are at a high rate of exposure to COVID-19 patients. The detection of antibodies is useful and helps diagnose late or recent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most children may present with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and can be silent sources of infection in the community and hospitals. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the antibodies (IgM and IgG) against SARS-CoV-2 in Mofid children's hospital staff. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 475 staff from Mofid children's hospital from April 20 to May 5, 2020, in Tehran. We collected blood samples for the antibody assay with a rapid test kit. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data. Results: Of 475 staff who participated in this study, 25 (5.3%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and/or CT scan. Besides, 140 (29.4%) of them were positive for IgM and/or IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Conclusions: The seropositivity of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among children's hospital staff was higher than expected. Approximately 5% of the participants were diagnosed as definitive positive COVID-19 cases by PCR and/or CT scan, but 29.4% of them were seropositive. The difference is a warning, as it shows seropositive people could be silent sources of transmission during asymptomatic infection.

Background: Antibiotic misuse is a major cause of antimicrobial resistance. Objectives: The present study aimed at determining the pattern of antibiotic usage in previously healthy children hospitalized for common infectious diseases in a tertiary care children's hospital. Methods: This study was the second part of a previous study in which inpatient charts of children hospitalized from October 2013 to September 2014 were reviewed to determine the rationality of drug use. Data from the first study were analyzed to define the antibiotic usage pattern in urinary tract infection, acute meningitis, community acquired pneumonia, fever without a localized source and acute gastro-enteritis. The data were checked independently by two pediatric infectious disease specialists to assess the appropriateness of prescribed antibiotics and in case of disagreement, rechecked by a third member. Results: Hospital charts of 140 children were reviewed; 47 had been treated for urinary tract infection, 31 for pneumonia, 25 for acute meningitis, 24 for acute gastroenteritis and 13 for fever without a localized source. One-hundred and fourteen children (81.42%) received 208 prescriptions for antibiotics (1.82 antibiotics/patient). Nineteen different antibacterial drugs and 2 antivirals (acyclovir and oseltamivir) were prescribed. Most frequently prescribed antibiotic was ceftriaxone. More than 25% of prescriptions for antibiotics were needless. In 91.6% of the prescriptions the medications had been prescribed by generic names. Dosing errors were observed in less than 7% and patients received the medication for prolonged duration, 25.6% of times. Conclusions: Nonuniformity of antibiotic usage, a high rate of needless antibiotic prescriptions, and prolonged administration found in this study call for stringent antibiotic stewardship.

Based on the findings, introduction of rotavirus vaccine is a highly cost-effective strategy from the government perspective. Introducing the vaccine to the national immunization program is an efficient use of available funds to reduce child mortality and morbidity in Iran.

Infections caused by Bordetella pertussis (B. Pertusis), have recently been reported increasingly even in highly immunized populations. This is a population-based, descriptive study. Nasopharyngeal sampling was performed in school children between 6-14 years old with coughing for two weeks or more but without any proved underlying diseases. The specimens were examined for B. Pertusis and Bordetella parapertussis (B. parapertusis) by Polymerase chain reaction and culture. Out of 6601 students, 21 (6.40%) children were found to be positive by polymerase chain reaction assay for B. Pertusis and 6 (2.43%) children had this test positive for B. parapertusis. B. Pertusis was detected in the culture of 4 (1.22%) specimens (all culture positive cases were positive for Polymerase chain reaction too) and B. parapertusis culture was not found positive at all. The estimated incidence of pertussis in this age group was 318/100000 and for B. parapertusis was 2/100000. Pertussis has to be considered as one of the etiologies of prolonged cough in children and adolescents in Iran.

Background: Information about renal involvement in pediatric patients with COVID-19 is limited, and there is not enough data about renal and urinary tract involvement in children infected with this novel virus. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the spectrum of kidney diseases in pediatric patients with COVID-19, admitted to a tertiary children’s hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 71 pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection. Diagnosis of COVID-19 was established based on the guidelines by the Iranian Ministry of Health. The patients’ demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory results, and renal ultrasonography findings were extracted from the hospital medical records. Results: On admission, 10% of patients had oliguria, 7.7% had edema, and 3% had hypertension. The first urinalysis indicated proteinuria, leukocyturia, and hematuria in 46%, 24%, and 23% of the patients, respectively. Overall, 40.7% of the patients showed some degree of renal involvement. During hospitalization, acute kidney injury (AKI) occurred in 34.5% of the patients. Based on the pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function, and end-stage kidney disease (pRIFLE) classification, stage I (risk group) was found in 20% of patients, stage II (injury group) in 25% of patients, and stage III (failure group) in 55% of patients with AKI. The total mortality rate was estimated at 12.67%, and the incidence of in-hospital death was 30% in pediatric patients with severe COVID-19 infection associated with AKI. Conclusions: The prevalence of AKI was high in patients with COVID-19 infection hospitalized in our tertiary hospital. We also found that a decrease in renal function was associated with a higher risk of mortality. Overall, early detection of AKI and effective treatment may help reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19.