Epstein-Barr Virus Status and Subsequent Thiopurine Exposure Within a Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Population.

ABSTRACT: The use of thiopurine therapy in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-naïve inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients remains controversial due to a risk of EBV-associated complications. We evaluated EBV status and outcomes within our paediatric IBD population over an 8-year period; finding that 217 of 409 (53%) screened patients were seropositive for EBV at IBD diagnosis; that thiopurines were used in 189 of 217 (87%) seropositive and 159 of 192 (83%) seronegative patients (P = 0.22); and that 7 of 192 (4%) previously seronegative patients subsequently tested positive for EBV with 6 of 7 (86%) patients having concurrently recorded thiopurine use. All six patients continued thiopurine with/without a period of cessation; no EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders/serious complications were recorded within our cohort. A significant proportion of our patients would not receive thiopurine therapy should their use be avoided in EBV-negative patients (47%) or seronegative males (30%). The small but significant risks of thiopurine treatment must be balanced against the potential benefits of successful IBD management; further research into this is required.

Neisseria oralis septicaemia in a newborn: first recorded case.

Neisseria oralis is a bacterium which normally resides within the oral microflora. A female infant was born by emergency caesarean section owing to fetal distress with a gestational age of 38 weeks, a birthweight of 2250 g and a temperature of 36.5°C. The pregnancy had been normal. The delivery was complicated by prolonged rupture of membranes (48 hours) and meconium-stained and foul-smelling liquor. APGAR scores were 1 at 1 min, 9 at 5 min and 9 at 10 min. The infant looked pale and had respiratory distress requiring resuscitation for the first 4 minutes. After a septic screen, she was commenced on benzylpenicillin and gentamicin. On Day 1 of life she was diagnosed with neonatal sepsis, and N. oralis was identified in blood cultures and blood-stained cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Although N. oralis was cultured from the CSF, it was considered that this was more likely owing to blood contamination of the CSF. In view of the blood and CSF cultures, antibiotics were changed to intravenous cefotaxime. By Day 6 blood infection markers were regarded as normal. Antibiotics were continued for 14 days. Although neonatal sepsis caused by N. oralis has not been reported before, it should be considered to be a pathogen able to cause neonatal sepsis.

A Decade of Varicella Screening Within a Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Population.

INTRODUCTION: Increased risk of opportunistic infection-e.g., varicella zoster infection-secondary to therapies is a cause of morbidity in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients. The UK vaccination schedule does not include varicella immunisation. We aimed to evaluate the varicella screening and immunisation programme in a paediatric IBD population. METHODS: Data regarding IBD diagnosis, varicella status, and consequent immunisations/treatment interventions were collected retrospectively from the records of patients diagnosed with IBD over a 10-year period [2009-2018]. RESULTS: In all, 520 IBD patients were diagnosed; 505/520 [97%] had varicella testing; 46/505 [9%] were naïve. Of 501 patients, 391[78%] were tested before or within 7 days of diagnosis; this increased in the second 5-year period compared with the first (229/268 [85%] versus 162/233 [70%]; p <0.00001). Median diagnosis age of naïve patients was lower [8.3 years versus 12.8 years; p <0.00001]. Where vaccination was feasible, 21/31 [68%] had two and 7/31 [23%] one immunisation. Prednisolone induction led to lower rates of vaccination (5/13 [39%] versus 23/33 [70%] for other induction therapies; p =0.02). Of 28 vaccinated patients, 5 [18%] had suspected breakthrough varicella; and 6/18 [33%] unimmunised patients required post-exposure prophylaxis or treatment for varicella. Immunisation was associated with a decrease in patients requiring post-exposure prophylaxis (0/28 [0%] versus 5/18 [28%]; p =0.0006) and varicella-related hospital admission (1/28 [4%] versus 4/18 [22%]; p =0.01). CONCLUSIONS: High rates of varicella screening and immunisation within a PIBD population are possible, resulting in a reduction in hospital admissions for varicella treatment. Varicella immunisation may be of increasing importance within the PIBD population with the emergence of novel therapeutic strategies.

Severe congenital chylothorax treated with octreotide.

We report a neonate with severe congenital chylothorax. Subcutaneous octreotide was added to the standard treatment regime. The chylothorax resolved with no observed side effects.