“…SCD patients in the literature were shown to have 300 times more risk of developing meningitis compared with the normal population [28]. Meningitis in SCD patients is attributed to an invasive pneumococcal disease in at least half of the patients [28][29][30]. Splenic dysfunction in SCD patients is thought to increase the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease accompanied by septicemia and bacterial meningitis [28].…”
“…SCD patients in the literature were shown to have 300 times more risk of developing meningitis compared with the normal population [28]. Meningitis in SCD patients is attributed to an invasive pneumococcal disease in at least half of the patients [28][29][30]. Splenic dysfunction in SCD patients is thought to increase the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease accompanied by septicemia and bacterial meningitis [28].…”
“…Organisms implicated were S .pneumoniae, H. influenzae, N. meningitides , and Salmonella spp .. 19 , 30 A low prevalence of meningitis has also been reported in recent studies from Cameroon and Brazil. 22 , 31 …”
Aim: The main aim was to report the prevalence and severity of serious bacterial infections (SBI) in children with sickle cell disease at King Abdulaziz Hospital, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia to aid in determining whether outpatient management of such cases is appropriate.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of febrile children less than 14 years of age admitted with sickle cell disease 2005 through 2015.
Results: During 320 admissions, 25 children had SBIs (8%) including pneumonia (n=11), osteomyelitis (n=8), bacteremia (n=3, all with Salmonella species) and UTI (n=3). All recovered uneventfully.
Conclusion: It appears that in the current era, less than 10% of febrile children with sickle cell disease in our center are diagnosed with a SBI. Over an 11-year period, there were no sequelae or deaths from SBI. Given these excellent outcomes, outpatient ceftriaxone should be considered for febrile well appearing children with sickle cell disease if they have no apparent source and parents are judged to be reliable.
“…Recently Chenou et al observed that SCD patients are 300 times more likely to develop bacterial meningitis than the normal population, and 10% of affected children die due to the infection generated by meningitis and pneumococcus [83]. Previous research found that meningitis in SCD patients caused by various bacteria, including H. influenzae, H. meningitis, and E. coli [84], and Streptococcus pneumonia, was responsible for 70% of bacterial meningitis cases in SCD children, while H. influenza was responsible for 80% [83,85]. The recurrence of meningitis occurs more frequently in SCD patients [86].…”
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a complex genetic disorder associated with multiple clinical manifestations, including increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections. This review article presents a comprehensive analysis of the current literature obtained from various online databases focusing on the relationship between SCD and infections caused by specific pathogens, such as pneumonia- and influenza-causing pathogens, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, parvovirus, and hepatitis viruses. We discuss the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the increased susceptibility of individuals with SCD to these infections, primarily related to the pathophysiology of variant hemoglobin (HbSS) and its impact on vascular occlusion, hemolysis, functional asplenia, and immune deficiency. Moreover, we highlight the significant burden of infections on SCD patients, particularly children under five years of age, where they are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Additionally, we address the challenges faced in attempts for reducing the global mortality rate associated with SCD, particularly in low-income countries, where factors such as increased pathogen exposure, co-morbidities like malnutrition, lower vaccination rates, and limited healthcare facilities contribute to the high disease burden. This review emphasizes the need for targeted interventions, improved healthcare access, vaccination programs, and infection prevention strategies to alleviate the impact of infections on individuals with SCD and reduce the global mortality rates associated with the disease.
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