Use of Monoclonal Antibodies in a Pediatric Patient With Severe Combined Immunodeficiency and Persistent SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

We describe the use of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in a pediatric patient with severe combined immunodeficiency who required urgent stem cell transplantation to cure his disease.

Impact of Gestational COVID-19 on Neonatal Outcomes: Is Vertical Infection Possible?

BACKGROUND: The vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains highly debated. Here, we evaluated SARS-CoV-2-transmission in newborns with intrauterine conditions. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational and multicentric study involving 13 Spanish hospitals included in the GEStational and NEOnatal-COVID cohort. Pregnant women with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during any trimester of pregnancy or delivery and their newborns were included from March to November 2020. Demographic, clinical and microbiological data were also obtained. Viral loads were analyzed in different maternal and newborn biological samples (placenta, breast milk and maternal blood; urine, meconium and newborn blood). RESULTS: A total of 177 newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were included. Newborns were tested by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using nasopharyngeal swabs within the first 24-48 hours of life and at 14 days of life. In total 5.1% were considered to have SARS-CoV-2 infection in the neonatal period, with 1.7% considered intrauterine and 3.4% intrapartum or early postnatal transmission cases. There were no differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the pregnant women and their newborns' susceptibility to infections in their perinatal history or background. CONCLUSIONS: Intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is possible, although rare, with early postnatal transmission occurring more frequently. Most infected newborns remained asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that evolved well during follow-up. We did not find any maternal characteristics predisposing infants to neonatal infection. All infected newborn mothers had acute infection at delivery.Although there was no presence of SARS-CoV2 in cord blood or breast milk samples, SARS-CoV-2 viral load was detected in urine and meconium samples from infected newborns.

Neurologic Complications in Children Hospitalized With Influenza Infections: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impact on Disease Severity.

BACKGROUND: Influenza infection is a common cause of respiratory disease and hospitalization in children. Neurologic manifestations of the infection have been increasingly reported and may have an impact on the severity of the disease. The aim of this study is to describe neurologic events in pediatric patients hospitalized with influenza and identify associated risk factors. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study which included all hospitalized patients with microbiologic confirmation of influenza disease over 4 epidemic seasons, focusing on neurologic complications. Demographic, laboratory and clinical data, as well as past history, were recorded. Descriptive and analytic statistical study was performed using SPSS and R statistical software. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-five patients were included. Median age was 21 months (interquartile range, 6-57) and 47.8% had a previous underlying condition. Oseltamivir was administered to 86% of patients, median hospitalization was 4 days (interquartile range, 3-6), and pediatric intensive care unit admission rate 8.9%. Twenty-nine patients (11.8%) developed neurologic events, febrile seizures being the most frequent, followed by nonfebrile seizures and encephalopathy. Status epilepticus occurred in 4 children, and 69.6% of seizures recurred. Patients with a previous underlying condition were at greater risk of developing a neurologic complication [odds ratio (OR), 4.55; confidence interval (CI), 95% 1.23-16.81). Male sex (OR, 3.21; CI 95%, 1.22-8.33), influenza B virus (OR, 2.82; CI 95%, 1.14-7.14) and neurologic events (OR, 3.34; CI 95%, 1.10-10.19) were found to be risk factors for pediatric intensive care unit admission. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of influenza-related hospitalized patients develop neurologic complications, especially seizures which may be prolonged or recurrent. Previous underlying conditions pose the greatest risk to neurologic events, which increase disease severity.

Three-year multicenter surveillance of community-acquired Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in adults.

BACKGROUND: Listeria monocytogenes is the third most frequent cause of bacterial meningitis. The aim of this study is to know the incidence and risk factors associated with development of acute community-acquired Lm meningitis in adult patients and to evaluate the clinical features, management, and outcome in this prospective case series. METHODS: A descriptive, prospective, and multicentric study carried out in 9 hospitals in the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI) over a 39-month period. All adults patients admitted to the participating hospitals with the diagnosis of acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis (Ac-ABM) were included in this study. All these cases were diagnosed on the basis of a compatible clinical picture and a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture or blood culture. The patients were followed up until death or discharge from hospital. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-eight patients with Ac-ABM were included. Forty-six episodes of Lm meningitis were identified in 46 adult patients. In the multivariate analysis only age (OR 1.026; 95% CI 1.00-1.05; p = 0.042), immunosuppression (OR 2.520; 95% CI 1.05-6.00; p = 0.037), and CSF/blood glucose ratio (OR 39.42; 95% CI 4.01-387.50; p = 0.002) were independently associated with a Lm meningitis. The classic triad of fever, neck stiffness and altered mental status was present in 21 (49%) patients, 32% had focal neurological findings at presentation, 12% presented cerebellum dysfunction, and 9% had seizures. Twenty-nine (68%) patients were immunocompromised. Empirical antimicrobial therapy was intravenous ampicillin for 34 (79%) of 43 patients, in 11 (32%) of them associated to aminoglycosides. Definitive ampicillin plus gentamicin therapy was significantly associated with unfavourable outcome (67% vs 28%; p = 0.024) and a higher mortality (67% vs 32%; p = 0.040).The mortality rate was 28% (12 of 43 patients) and 5 of 31 (16.1%) surviving patients developed adverse clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly or immunocompromised patients, and a higher CSF/blood glucose ratio in patients with Ac-ABM must alert clinicians about Lm aetiology. Furthermore, we observed a high incidence of acute community-acquired Lm meningitis in adults and the addition of aminoglycosides to treatment should be avoid in order to improve the patients' outcome. Nevertheless, despite developments in intensive care and antimicrobial therapy, this entity is still a serious disease that carries high morbidity and mortality rates.

[Hospital care of patients with A/H1N1 influenza: evaluation of the first 1000 reported cases in Spain]. / Demanda de atención hospitalaria por gripe A/H1N1: evaluación de los primeros 1.000 casos atendidos.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Influenza A is expected to have a great impact in countries in the northern hemisphere yet little has been reported about how this outbreak can affect hospital care. The aim of this study is to assess patients who demand care for flu symptoms and their outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From the beginning of the outbreak a specific protocol was established for the care of patients with potential influenza A in admission, emergency and hospitalization ward. A nominal registry was designed with clinical and epidemiological data. RESULTS: 1018 patients were evaluated for potential influenza A from the beginning of the outbreak until the 31(st) August, 2009. 77% of them fulfilled clinical criteria and were classified as suspected cases. Mean age was 31,7 years (SD17,2), 52% were women, 3,3% pregnant or puerperal. The admission rate was 23,4% with a global mean stay of 3,5 days, and 2,5 for the adults who were admitted to the short stay hospital unit. 2,8 % had pneumonia, two patients required admission to the intensive care unit and one of them died. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show an outbreak with mild illness, with a remarkable percentage of pneumonia but with good outcome. Despite of the high percentage of admissions, and in order to avoid the misleading attention to other patients, we believe that an assistance model based in specific units, short stay and post-discharge follow up could be suitable.