Comparing blood culture contamination rates by different sampling methods in a paediatric emergency department.

AIM: Blood culture contamination (BCC) can cause unnecessary hospitalisations and inappropriate use of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to find risk factors associated with BCCs in children and to compare contamination rates between open and closed blood culture collection systems. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected regarding blood cultures obtained in the paediatric emergency department from February 26, 2020, to September 30, 2020, based on the method of drawing blood reported by the obtaining physician. A comparison between contaminated and non-contaminated blood cultures was performed. We also compared the composition of the contaminations in the study period to the same period in 2019. RESULTS: A total of 512 blood cultures were included, 33 (6.4%) of which were contaminated. The only parameter that was associated with an increased rate of contamination by 2.34 fold (95% CI 1.1-4.99, P = 0.028) was obtaining blood through an 'open' system, using a syringe connected to a needle in order to draw blood from an open ended needle. The proportion of contaminations originating from oral flora decreased in the study period by 44.7% as compared to the same period in the previous year (13% vs. 23.5%, P = 0.056). CONCLUSIONS: 'Open system' method, which is commonly used in paediatric emergency departments for blood culture obtainment, was associated with an increase in BCC. Adherence to blood cultures obtainment guidelines, even at the price of two different blood tests, is important in order to reduce BCC rates in children.

Neurodevelopmental outcome of isolated ventriculomegaly: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Data regarding the neurodevelopmental outcome of children diagnosed in utero with isolated ventriculomegaly (IVM) are limited and principally founded on ultrasound-based studies. Here, we endeavored to assess the outcome of such cases in a large-scale, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based study. METHODS: We conducted a study on 133 cases of IVM with a documented fetal brain MRI scan. Children were assessed at ages 18 to 36 months by using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). RESULTS: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales scores were within normal range. There was no significant difference between VABS score in symmetric versus asymmetric IVM (101.7 vs. 101.6, respectively; p = 0.94), and the VABS score of mild IVM was comparable with that of moderate IVM (101.8 vs. 101; p = 0.8). Only five cases (3.8%) were found to have an abnormal score (<85). There was no significant difference in the rate of abnormal scores between mild and moderate IVM (2.8% vs. 8.3%, respectively; p = 0.22). CONCLUSION: In cases of isolated ventriculomegaly, a normal neurodevelopmental outcome is to be expected; moreover, the outcome does not appear to be affected by the severity or asymmetry of the ventriculomegaly. Thus, following a meticulous workup, patients can be given reassuring counseling regarding the child's prognosis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An Outbreak of Coxsackievirus B Type 2 Acute Meningoencephalitis in Children, Israel, July-September 2022.

During July-September 2022, 14 children suffering from meningoencephalitis tested positive for Coxsackievirus B2 (8 cerebrospinal fluid, 9 stool samples). Mean age 22 months (range 0-60 months); 8 were males. Seven of the children presented with ataxia and 2 had imaging features of rhombencephalitis, not previously described in association with Coxsackievirus B2.