Chronic amoxicillin shortage led to alternative broad-spectrum antimicrobial use in pediatric clinics.

This study aimed to clarify changes in antimicrobial prescribing trends in pediatric clinics before and after the chronic shortage of amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid from 2023 in Japan. Amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid have been in chronic short supply since May 24, 2023 due to increased demand. It is unclear whether this situation has changed the type of oral antimicrobials prescribed by clinics. A retrospective observational study was conducted to analyze antimicrobial prescriptions in pediatric clinics between January and December 2023. The data was collected using information available on a new platform, the Online Monitoring System for Antimicrobial Stewardship at Clinics (OASCIS). The period from March to May was defined as the pre-shortage period, and the period from June to August was defined as the post-shortage period. Antimicrobials were classified using the AWaRe classification proposed by the World Health Organization. The average prescription rate per AWaRe classification in the three months before and after the shortage was compared. A total of 28,888 oral antimicrobial prescriptions were collected. Due to the chronic shortage, the proportion of Access antimicrobials decreased from 53.9 % in the pre-shortage period to 46.8 % in the post-shortage period (p < 0.001). The proportion of Watch antimicrobials increased from 45.9 % to 52.8 % (p < 0.001). Among the Watch antimicrobials, prescriptions for third-generation cephalosporins increased from 18.8 % to 24.7 % (p < 0.001). The chronic shortage of amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid has led to the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents for patients in pediatric clinics.

Natto intake is a risk factor of Bacillus subtilis bacteremia among children undergoing chemotherapy for childhood cancer: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Natto, a popular, daily food in Japan, is made from soybeans fermented by Bacillus subtilis. The aim of this retrospective case-control study (matched 1: 4) is to determine whether natto intake is a risk factor of B. subtilis bacteremia in this population. METHODS: The retrospective, matched case-control study was conducted at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center between April 2012 and June 2020 and included pediatric patients younger than 15 years who received chemotherapy for cancer. Patients who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were excluded. Patients with B. subtilis bacteremia were compared with controls matched for age and underlying diseases. Dietary information within seven days from the date of blood culture collection was extracted from medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to define the risk factors of B. subtilis bacteremia. RESULTS: In total, 23 patients with B. subtilis bacteremia were identified and matched to 92 controls. The percentage of patients and controls who ingested natto within seven days from the date of blood culture collection was 78% and 50%, respectively. On univariate analysis, the odds ratio of natto intake for B. subtilis bacteremia was 3.6 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-10.5). Multivariable logistic regression tests after controlling for neutropenia revealed that B. subtilis bacteremia was associated significantly with natto intake at odds ratio 3.3 (95% CI: 1.1-9.6). CONCLUSION: Natto intake was associated with B. subtilis bacteremia during chemotherapy for childhood cancer.

Viral loads of parainfluenza virus type 3 and severity of respiratory diseases in children.

BACKGROUND: Parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV-3) is one of the common pathogens for respiratory infections in children. Whether viral load of PIV-3 is associated with severity of respiratory diseases in children is not yet known. Our aim was to determine significance of PIV-3 viral load among infected children. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, retrospective study at Tokyo Metropolitan. Children's Medical Center, Japan, from June to August 2021. Hospitalized children were screened with a posterior nasal swab for multiplex PCR, and viral load was subsequently measured from remained samples by real-time PCR. Demographic data were collected from digital charts. PIV-3 positive patients were categorized into mild group with no oxygen demand, moderate group with low-flow oxygen demand and severe group with high-flow nasal cannula oxygen or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation or mechanical ventilation. Viral loads were compared among mild, moderate and severe groups. RESULTS: 151 patients were positive for PIV-3. We found no statistically significant association among PIV-3 viral load and severity of respiratory diseases (p = 0.35), and no statistically significant association between severity of illness and co-detection of other viruses. In each severity group, relatively high viral load per posterior nasal swab was observed at the time of testing. CONCLUSION: Among PIV-3 patients, we could not find statistically significant between viral load and their severity, therefore we could not conclude that viral load is a good surrogate marker for clinical severity of PIV-3.

Clinical characteristics and treatment of IMP-type carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia: Case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Several carbapenemases have been identified globally in Enterobacteriaceae. In Japan, IMP-type carbapenemase is the most prevalent, although cases of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) bacteremia are still scarce. The present case series and literature review aimed to elucidate the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies for IMP-type CPE bacteremia. METHODS: Clinical data on pediatric cases of IMP-type CPE bacteremia at the Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center between 2010 and 2020 were collected, and a review of past studies of IMP-type CPE bacteremia has been provided. RESULTS: Five pediatric episodes of IMP-type CPE bacteremia were identified. Our review of previous literature on IMP-type CPE bacteremia revealed 24 adult patients, but no pediatric patients. All 29 cases had underlying diseases, and 23 (79%) received combination therapy. The median duration of antibiotic therapy was 14 days (interquartile range: 9-14 days). The overall mortality rate was 38% (11/29). The mortality rates associated with monotherapy and combination therapy were 67% (4/6) and 30% (7/23), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We report the first case series of IMP-type CPE bacteremia in children. Our review of past studies suggests that combination therapy might lead to better survival outcomes in patients with IMP-type CPE bacteremia. Further research is needed to establish an optimal treatment strategy for IMP-type CPE bacteremia.

Post coronavirus disease 2019 condition in children at a children's hospital in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with chronic symptoms. These have been termed the "post COVID-19 condition." The data on this condition in children are still limited. We therefore aimed to elucidate the characteristics of this post COVID-19 condition. METHODS: Children referred to a long COVID-19 clinic were included at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center between October 2021 and July 2022. Children with another diagnosis and those who failed to meet criteria for post COVID-19 condition were excluded. Demographic and clinical data were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: Of 33 referrals, nine were excluded, and 24 fulfilled the criteria for post COVID-19 condition. The median age and percentage of girls were 12.5 (IQR: 11-13) years and 29.2%, respectively. All the patients had mild, acute COVID-19. Dysgeusia and brain fog was observed more frequently during the Delta and Omicron variant periods, respectively. School absenteeism >4 weeks was observed in 41.6% of the patients. Common symptoms included malaise, headache, dysgeusia, and dysosmia. The median duration of post COVID-19 condition was 4.5 (IQR: 2.8-5.2) months. Pain management and counseling using the pacing approach were the most commonly offered treatments. Symptom resolution and improvement was observed in 29.2% and 54.2% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: One third of the patients referred for long COVID did not fit the definition of the post COVID-19 condition. After a median follow up of 4.5 months, the majority of the cases resolved or improved.

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial pathogens isolated from children conducted by the surveillance committee of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2017: General overview of pathogenic antimicrobial susceptibility.

A nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of pediatric patients to bacterial pathogens was conducted by Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in Japan in 2017. The isolates were collected from 18 medical facilities between March 2017 and May 2018 by the three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central laboratory (Infection Control Research Center, Kitasato University, Tokyo) according to the methods recommended by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Susceptibility testing was evaluated in 926 strains (331 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 360 Haemophilus influenzae, 216 Moraxella catarrhalis, 5 Streptococcus agalactiae, and 14 Escherichia coli). The ratio of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae was 0% based on CLSI M100-ED29 criteria. However, three meropenem or tosufloxacin resistant S. pneumoniae isolates were obtained. Among H. influenzae, 13.1% of them were found to be ß-lactamase-producing ampicillin resistant strains, while 20.8% were ß-lactamase non-producing ampicillin-resistant strains. No capsular type b strains were detected. In M. catarrhalis, 99.5% of the isolates were ß-lactamase-producing strains. All S. agalactiae and E. coli strains were isolated from sterile body sites (blood or cerebrospinal fluid). The ratio of penicillin-resistant S. agalactiae was 0%, while that of extended spectrum ß-lactamase-producing E. coli was 14.3%.

School-based approach for parasitic disease control in Japan and Africa.

Japan has achieved significant improvements in the control and prevention of parasitic infections through a school-based approach since the 1930s. The use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, safe water and food, and improved sanitation and hygiene also contributed to the near eradication of endemic parasites. However, parasite infections continued to affect children mostly in resource-limited countries. The African continent has one of the highest burdens of such infections. The application of school-based approaches has several advantages where the structure of health-care systems is not optimal. In Africa, soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis are frequently targets for school-based public health intervention. Mass drug administration by teachers at school can reach targeted children effectively and safely. The limitations of this approach include missing unattended children and absentee of teachers. Initially, mass drug administration at school for parasitic infections was thought to improve health and even socioeconomic status of children in the community. However, more recently the socioeconomic impact has been questioned although the reduction of parasitic diseases is still apparent. Moreover, other basic public health measurements such as increased toilet use, assuring safe water access and avoiding the use of human excrement as an agricultural fertilizer, are equally important for control and prevention of parasitic diseases. Further global efforts should be continued to achieve equal health for every child in a sustainable way.

CTX-M group gene distribution of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae at a Japanese Children's hospital.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae have spread globally as one of the most common multidrug resistant organisms. Although a wide variety of ESBL genes were known in each geographical region, few reports existed on the distribution of ESBL genes in Japanese children. To clarify the distribution of ESBL genes, we investigated the CTX-M type of the ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and patient characteristics among hospital-acquired and community-acquired cases. Total of 253 isolates of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were recovered from 238 pediatric patients. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were mostly recovered from children with underlying diseases (76.5%). Ratio of community-acquired and hospital-acquired cases was 58.8% and 41.2%, respectively. Compared to the hospital-acquired cases, community-acquired cases had younger age, fewer underlying diseases, and the dominant detection of Escherichia coli. The most common ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae was E. coli (79.8%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.1%). CTX-M9 group was the most prevalent CTX-M group gene (63.2%), which was dominantly detected in E. coli (72.7%). This was the largest descriptive study to find CTX-M9 group as the most prevalent ESBL genotype among Enterobacteriaceae isolated from Japanese children in line with adult's epidemiology.

Pediatric acute dacryocystitis due to Eikenella corrodens: A case report.

Eikenella corrodens is a facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rod bacterium in the oropharynx and respiratory tract. It is a member of HACEK (Haemophilus spp., Aggregatibacter spp., Cardiobacterium hominis, E. corrodens, and Kingella kingae) group commonly associated with endocarditis and craniofacial infections. It is usually susceptible to penicillin, second and third-generation cephalosporins, and carbapenem, but has variable susceptibility to first-generation cephalosporin. We herein provide a description of the first case of pediatric acute dacryocystitis caused by E. corrodens. The patient did not respond to oral cephalexin and required surgical drainage followed by intravenous cefotaxime. Also provided is a brief review of the current literature.

National trends in appropriate antibiotics use among pediatric inpatients with uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Japan was ranked as the worst country of 36 high-income countries in terms of oral antibiotic consumptions for children. Knowing the patterns and variations of antibiotic use for pediatric inpatients with uncomplicated respiratory infections is an important step to promote judicious antibiotic use. METHODS: Discharge records were extracted for children aged between 3 months and 15 years with acute lower respiratory tract infections for the fiscal years 2010-2014 using a national inpatient database in Japan. We investigated the trends in antibiotic use using mixed effect regression models and ascertained variations and clustering of the practice patterns across different hospitals using unsupervised machine learning methodology. RESULTS: A total of 280,298 children were included in the study. Total and broad-spectrum antibiotic use, except for fluoroquinolone, showed decreasing trends from 2010 to 2014. Additionally, the proportions of patients who received no antibiotics or only penicillin increased from 17.1% to 9.9% in 2010 to 24.5% and 13.7% in 2014, respectively. Cluster analysis showed that only one-quarter of hospitals used no antibiotics for 28.8% of children and only penicillin for 53.7% of children. In the remaining clusters of hospitals, the piperacillin, 3rd generation cephalosporins, and penicillin beta-lactamase inhibitors were used for 68.5%, 68.5%, and 69.6% of the patients who received antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: Slightly increasing trends in narrow-spectrum antibiotics were observed. However, the treatment strategy in only one-quarter of hospitals was consistent with the current recommendations. Hospital level interventions to promote and monitor antibiotic use could be helpful to improve antibiotic use for pediatric inpatients.

Incidence and aetiology of serious viral infections in young febrile infants.

AIM: While the incidence and aetiology of serious bacterial infections among febrile infants younger than 90 days old are well studied, those concerning viral infection are not. There are severe life-threatening viral infections requiring immediate intense therapy. The objective of the study is to describe the incidence and aetiology of serious viral infections (SVI) among young febrile infants. METHODS: A retrospective audit was performed covering all the febrile infants younger than 90 days old admitted to a paediatric emergency department in Japan from 2011 to 2013. SVI was defined as a viral illness that may result in permanent organ dysfunctions or life-threatening complications. Diagnostic investigation consisted of urine and blood culture for all infants, cerebrospinal fluid cultures for infants who do not fulfil the low-risk criteria, rapid antigen tests for several viruses in infants with specific symptoms and blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction of possible viruses for infants with fever without a localising source. RESULTS: Of 275 cases, 32 and 45 cases were diagnosed as serious viral and bacterial infections, respectively. Intensive care unit admission occurred for three viral and four bacterial infections. Viral aetiology consisted of respiratory syncytial virus (11 cases), aseptic meningitis (9 cases), enterovirus (6 cases), influenza virus (3 cases), rotavirus (2 cases) and herpes simplex virus-1 (1 case). Respiratory (14 cases), central nervous (12 cases) and circulatory (6 cases) systems were affected. CONCLUSION: SVI was observed in 11.6% of febrile young infants in a paediatric emergency department.

Nationwide survey of indications for oral antimicrobial prescription for pediatric patients from 2013 to 2016 in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern. In 2016, the Japanese government launched a national action plan aimed at achieving a 33% and 50% reduction in the number of total and oral antimicrobial prescriptions (cephalosporins, macrolides, and quinolones) from the 2013 figures by 2020, respectively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the indications for recent antimicrobial prescriptions and to identify the primary targets for intervention to achieve the aims of the government's action plan. METHODS: Using the national health claims database, we retrospectively analyzed oral antibiotic prescriptions for Japanese children aged ≦ 15 years from 2013 to 2016. The trends were analyzed based on days of therapy (DOT) per infectious disease-related visit for each antibiotic. For patients whose chief diagnosis was an infectious disease, the number of antimicrobial prescriptions per diagnosis, their proportion, and the details of the type of antimicrobial were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 297,197,328 infectious disease-related visits were identified during 2013-2016. Total antimicrobial prescriptions showed a 3.7% reduction from 1.519 DOT/visitor in 2013 to 1.463 DOT/visitor in 2016 (Ptrend < 0.001). Antimicrobials were prescribed for 31.7% and 36.9% of children with upper and lower respiratory tract infection, accounting for 54.6% and 26.2% of all antimicrobial prescriptions, respectively. Third generation cephalosporins and macrolides comprised the majority of these prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobials were commonly prescribed for children with respiratory infections. Therefore, promoting appropriate antimicrobial use in this population is required to achieve the 2020 goals set by the action plan.

Nationwide study of outpatient oral antimicrobial utilization patterns for children in Japan (2013-2016).

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major multinational public health concern. The Japanese government set goals in its AMR action plan to reduce use of oral cephalosporins, macrolides, and quinolones by half between 2013 and 2020. We aimed to evaluate antimicrobial use in children in Japan by observing prescription patterns as an interim assessment of the national AMR action plan. METHODS: Using the national health claims database, we retrospectively analyzed all oral antimicrobials dispensed from outpatient pharmacies in Japan to children under 15 years old from 2013 to 2016 by age, prefecture, type of antimicrobial, and year. Data were presented as days of therapy (DOTs) per 1000 pediatric inhabitants per day (DOTs/PID). The χ2 test for trends was performed to evaluate annual changes in DOTs/PID overall as well as within each stratum. RESULTS: A total of 721,627,553 oral antimicrobial DOTs were identified during 2013-2016. No statistically significant changes were observed in total antimicrobial use in children (2013: 28.54 DOTs/PID; 2016: 28.70 DOTs/PID; Ptrend = 0.25) and amount of cephalosporins, macrolides, and quinolones prescribed. Prescription rates of all antimicrobials were highest among children 1-5 years old, peaking at 1 year old. Targeted antimicrobials for the AMR action plan showed similar distribution by age. CONCLUSION: The amount of antimicrobials prescribed to children in Japan is not decreasing. Overall antimicrobial prescriptions, as well as prescriptions of cephalosporins, macrolides, and quinolones, were most prevalent in children ≤5 years old. Rigorous antimicrobial stewardship interventions targeting infants and younger children are necessary.

First report on USA300 outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit detected by polymerase chain reaction-based open reading frame typing in Japan.

Outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have been reported worldwide. Some outbreaks were caused by USA300, which is a community-associated MRSA clone. In 2011, polymerase chain reaction-based open reading frame typing (POT) for the initial MRSA isolates from all inpatients was started at the Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center. From March 2014 to April 2015, a total of 131 MRSA strains were isolated, 104 of which were analyzed as healthcare-associated MRSA. Thirteen stains (12.5%) had a POT number of 106-9-93, which strongly suggested USA300; these included 6 from nasal swabs, 6 from blood cultures and 1 from subcutaneous pus. All the MRSA strains were isolated from patients in the NICU; were typed as sequence type 8, spa type t008, and staphylococcal cassette chromosome type mec IVa; and possessed the lukS-lukF and arginine catabolic mobile element-arcA gene. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of all the strains, with USA300-0114 as a reference, showed indistinguishable banding pattern. Based on these results, POT was useful in recognizing this first MRSA outbreak of USA300 in a Japanese NICU and was advantageous in terms of swiftness, less cost and monitoring change of the epidemic MRSA lineage.

Diagnostic errors in pediatric bacterial osteomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: Clinical evidence for improving diagnostic accuracy in pediatric medicine is still scarce. Septic osteomyelitis is sometimes challenging for physicians to diagnose. The aim of this study was to improve patient care through identifying the incidence and reasons for errors in the diagnosis of bacterial osteomyelitis in pediatric patients. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients younger than 16 years with acute or chronic osteomyelitis at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center between April 2010 and September 2017. We extracted data on patient demographics, clinical course, symptoms, locus of the lesions, and diagnosis at presentation and discharge. The patients were categorized into the misdiagnosis and non-misdiagnosis groups following a review by two pediatricians. Misdiagnosis was defined as a difference between the initial and discharge diagnosis. The factors in the two groups were compared, and the types of error in the misdiagnosis group were examined. RESULTS: In total 71 patients were enrolled. The median age and proportion of boys was 7.6 years (IQR, 1.4-11.2 years) and 66%, respectively. Misdiagnosis occurred in 27 patients (38.0%). Precedent antibiotic use was independently associated with misdiagnosis (P = 0.044). A cognitive error was observed in 88.3% of the misdiagnosis group. The median number of types of error per case was 2.0 (IQR, 2.0-3.0). CONCLUSIONS: The misdiagnosis of septic osteomyelitis in pediatric patients was common and chiefly caused by cognitive errors. Eliminating cognitive errors in diagnosis is highly likely to improve the care of patients with osteomyelitis.

Cefmetazole for extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in pediatric pyelonephritis.

BACKGROUND: Pyelonephritis caused by extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae is an urgent problem in pediatrics. Although carbapenem is the standard therapy for infections caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, some cephamycins, including cefmetazole, are stable against hydrolysis by ESBL. There are few reports, however, on the use of cefmetazole in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of cefmetazole in pediatric pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. METHODS: Children with pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were enrolled between April 2010 and November 2016 at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center. Presence of ESBL was tested for using the disk diffusion method. Medical records were reviewed for a past history of bacterial infection. The outcomes were clinical cure rate at 4 weeks and the duration of therapy in the cefmetazole and non-cefmetazole groups. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients met the criteria for pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The most common causative organisms were Escherichia coli (n = 51; 92.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 3; 5.5%), and K. oxytoca (n = 1; 1.8%). Thirty-six and 19 patients were treated with cefmetazole and with other antibiotics as definitive therapy, respectively. There was no difference in the clinical cure rate (86.1% vs 89.5%; P = 0.72) or duration of therapy (median, 7.0 vs 7.0 days; P = 0.73) between the cefmetazole and non-cefmetazole groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cefmetazole was not inferior to the other antibiotics in the treatment of pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in children. Cefmetazole is a valuable therapeutic alternative to carbapenems for treating pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Trends in varicella and mumps vaccination rates in children under 3 years of age in a tertiary children's hospital in Japan.

BACKGROUND: In Japan, the voluntary vaccination rate is not known accurately. Although two doses of the measles and rubella vaccines have been part of the universal vaccine program since 2006, the varicella vaccine was added in October 2014 while the mumps vaccine still remains voluntary. The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in the live measles, rubella, varicella and mumps vaccination rates in Japan. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center between October 2012 and December 2016. Patients aged 1-2 years who were admitted to the Department of General Pediatrics were enrolled. The trend in the vaccination rate against measles, rubella, varicella, and mumps was examined. RESULTS: The measles and rubella vaccination rate was 80-90%. The varicella vaccination rate in the second quarter of 2012, the third quarter of 2014, and the fourth quarter of 2016 was 34.6%, 67.1%, and 80.7%, respectively. The mumps vaccination rate in the second quarter of 2012, the third quarter of 2014, and the fourth quarter of 2016 was 27.6%, 59.5%, and 61.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The varicella and mumps vaccination rate improved until 2014 despite the fact that they were voluntary vaccinations. After varicella vaccination was added to the universal vaccination program, the varicella vaccination rate continued to improve. The mumps vaccination, which was not included, failed to improve, suggesting that the universal vaccination program contributed to increasing the uptake of the vaccines it includes.

Enterovirus D68 respiratory infection in a children's hospital in Japan in 2015.

BACKGROUND: Outbreaks of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) respiratory infections in children were reported globally in 2014. In Japan, there was an EV-D68 outbreak in the autumn of 2015 (September-October). The aim of this study was to compare EV-D68-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive and EV-D68-specific PCR-negative patients. METHODS: Pediatric patients admitted for any respiratory symptoms between September and October 2015 were enrolled. Nasopharyngeal swabs were tested for multiplex respiratory virus PCR and EV-D68-specific reverse transcription-PCR. EV-D68-specific PCR-positive and -negative patients were compared regarding demographic data and clinical information. RESULTS: A nasopharyngeal swab was obtained from 76 of 165 patients admitted with respiratory symptoms during the study period. EV-D68 was detected in 40 samples (52.6%). Median age in the EV-D68-specific PCR-positive and -negative groups was 3.0 years (IQR, 5.5 years) and 3.0 years (IQR, 4.0 years), respectively. The rates of coinfection in the two groups were 32.5% and 47.2%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the history of asthma or recurrent wheezing, length of hospitalization, or pediatric intensive care unit admission rate between the groups. The median days between symptom onset and admission was significantly lower for the EV-D68-positive group (3.0 days vs 5.0 days, P = 0.001). EV-D68 was identified as clade B on phylogenetic analysis. No cases of acute flaccid myelitis were encountered. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the samples from the children admitted with respiratory symptoms were positive for EV-D68-specific PCR during the outbreak. Asthma history was not associated with the risk of developing severe respiratory infection.

Longer Duration of Urinary Catheterization Increases Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection in PICU.

OBJECTIVES: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections account for 30% of healthcare-associated infections. To date, few studies have addressed pediatric catheter-associated urinary tract infection in PICUs. The aim of our study was to assess the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection in relation to the duration of catheterization in the PICU. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: PICU at a tertiary children's hospital. PATIENTS: Our study was conducted between April 2012 and June 2015 at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center in Japan. Children in the PICU with an urethral catheter were included. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection cases were defined according to the National Healthcare Safety Network criteria. The patients' demographic data and isolated organisms were reviewed. Duration of catheterization and the catheter-associated urinary tract infection occurrence rate were analyzed. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among 1,890 catheterizations, 23 catheter-associated urinary tract infection cases were identified. The overall occurrence rate was 2.35/1,000 catheter-days. Among the patients with catheter-associated urinary tract infection, 13 were boys. The median age was 11 months (interquartile range, 7-35 mo), and the median duration of catheterization was 7 days (interquartile range, 5-12 d). The isolated bacteria were Escherichia coli (26.5%), Enterococcus faecalis (17.6%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.8%). Two species were isolated in each of 11 cases (47.8%). Each additional day of catheterization increased the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (odds ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.10, and odds ratio adjusted for contact precaution status and surgical procedures was 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Longer duration of catheterization increased the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection by 5% each day at the PICU. Prompt removal of the urethral catheter is strongly recommended whenever feasible.