UNSUSPECTED FATAL DRUG-RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS IN A CLOSELY MONITORED CHILD: A PLEA FOR IMPROVED SOURCE-CASE TRACING AND DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING.

We report a case of rapidly progressive miliary tuberculosis in a 21-month old HIV-infected girl exposed to tuberculosis, despite early access to highly active antiretroviral therapy and proven adherence to isoniazid chemoprophylaxis. Post mortem revealed multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. This case report illustrates the consequences of inadequate programmatic management of children exposed to an adult case of sputum smear-positive multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Drug susceptibility testing of the adult source case should become standard of care for all children who have been in close contact with a case of sputum smear-positive tuberculosis, and the choice of chemoprophylactic agents should be based on the sensitivities of the source case organism.

Longitudinal developmental profile of children from low socio-economic circumstances in Cape Town, using the 1996 Griffiths Mental Development Scales.

BACKGROUND: The Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) have not been standardised in South African children Neurodevelopmental scores of infants from deprived environments decline with age, but there is no evidence on how young South African children from such backgrounds perform on serial assessments. AIM: To describe the longitudinal developmental profile of infants from low socio-economic backgrounds at Tygerberg Children's Hospital by comparing the GMDS scores performed at 10 - 12 months and 20 - 22 months. METHODS: Infants born to HIV-uninfected women attending the public service programme were recruited from a vaccine study in Cape Town, South Africa. The GMDS 0 - 2 years and a neurological examination were performed between 10 and 12 months and between 20 and 22 months. RESULTS: Thirty-one infants (14 girls, 17 boys) were assessed. Their mean (standard deviation (SD)) age was 11.6 (0.8) months and 21.0 (0.5) months at the first and second assessments, respectively. The mean (SD) general quotient decreased significantly from 107.3 (11.7) to 95.0 (11.0) (p<0.001). All sub-quotients decreased significantly except for locomotor. The hearing and language sub-quotient was most affected, with a decrease in mean quotients from 113.0 to 93.2 (p<0.001). There was no evidence of intercurrent events to explain the decline. INTERPRETATION: Scores on the GMDS of this group of children from low socio-economic backgrounds were normal at 11 months and, other than locomotor, decreased significantly at 21 months, with language the most affected. Further research is needed to determine the specific reasons for the decline.

Management of upper respiratory tract infections in children.

Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) occurs commonly in both children and adults and is a major cause of mild morbidity. It has a high cost to society, being responsible for absenteeism from school and work and unnecessary medical care, and is occasionally associated with serious sequelae. URTIs are usually caused by several families of virus; these are the rhinovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, influenza, enterovirus and the recently discovered bocavirus. This review will mainly focus on the rhinovirus, where significant advances have been made in understanding the epidemiology, natural history and relationship with other pathogens.