Congenital Toxoplasmosis and Long-term Outcomes

Objective: Congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) can have severe early and late sequelae in children. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, treatment characteristics of patients diagnosed with congenital Toxoplasma infection and to highlight the long-term complications of the patients. Methods: Patients with CT were included in this study who were followed between 2010 and 2022 in Cukurova University Medical Faculty Hospital. Demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics were searched retrospectively. In the diagnosis of maternal and CT, Toxoplasma IgM, IgG, IgG avidity, T. gondii polymerase chain reaction tests were used along with clinical and symptoms. Results: Eighteen children (two twins) with CT and their mothers (n=16) were included in the study. Median age was 1 month. Ten (55.5%) of the children were male. CT diagnosis was made during pregnancy in 7 mothers (resulting in 8 babies) and postnatally in 9 mothers (resulting in 10 babies). The mothers of 5 (31.1%) babies with CT received spiramycin treatment during pregnancy. Three (60%) of 5 pregnant women who received spiramycin were diagnosed in the first trimester, 4 (80%) of the babies did not have any sequale and only 1 (20%) had microphthalmia. Ocular involvement was the most common presentation of the disease occured in 10 patients (55.5%), hydrocephalus and intracranial calcification developed in five patients (27.7%). Hearing loss developed in 2 (11.1%) patients. During the follow-up period, seizures developed in 3 patients (16.6%), microcephaly in 2 patients (11.1%), and neurodevolopmental retardation in 7 patients (38.8%), two of the patients had severe mental retardation. One (5.5%) patient with hydrocephalus died at 36 months of age due to complications after ventriculoperitoneal shunt application. Conclusion: In our study, we observed severe sequelae in vision, hearing, and neurodevelopmental aspects in children diagnosed with CT at birth and during follow-ups. Early diagnosis and treatment of infants, along with the detection of Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy, are essential in preventing severe sequelae that may arise due to CT.

Recurrence from the Spinal Region of the Patient Whose Treatment Was Completed with Liver and Lung Cystic Echinococcosis: A Rare Pediatric Case of Spinal Cystic Echinococcosis

Cystic echinococcosis is a parasitic disease caused by the Echinococcus tapeworm. The disease can often affect organs such as the liver and lungs, muscles, bones, kidneys, brain, and spleen. Spinal cystic echinococcosis has been reported very rarely in the literature. In this report; we present a pediatric case with spinal cystic echinococcosis, who was diagnosed with multiple cystic echinococcosis in the liver and lungs and was admitted with complaints of difficulty in walking and leg pain 1 year after the albendazole treatment, which he had been taking for 3.5 years. If a diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis was made in any organ, recurrences may occur in another organ at some time, even if the treatment is completed.

Bloodstream infections due to Trichosporon species in paediatric patients: Results from the first national study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Invasive Trichosporon infections are rarely seen opportunistic fungal infections in children and mainly affect immunocompromised patients. This multicenter retrospective study has rewieved the characteristics, risk factors, treatment modalities and outcomes of bloodstream infections caused by Trichosporon species in children diagnosed over the past ten years in Turkey. METHODS: The study was performed with the participation of 12 of 55 hospitals invited from Turkey. In each center, the patients with bloodstream infections caused by Trichosporon spp. between January 2010 and December 2020 were retrospectively ascertained and the results were reported to the study coordinator by means of a simple case report. Data were collected on patient demographics, underlying condition(s), treatment of.infections caused by Trichosporon spp, and 7 and 30- day mortality rates. RESULTS: A total of 28 cases with fungemia caused by Trichosporon spp. were included in the study. The most common underlying disease was paediatric cancers (39.3%). T. asahii infections were detected in 78.5 % (n=22) of patients. A various spectrum of antifungal treatment regimens were used including intravenous amphotericin B monotherapy in 35.7%, intravenous amphotericin B and voriconazole combination in 32.1% and intravenous voriconazole monotherapy in 28.6% of the patients. The overall mortality rate was 28.5 %. The mortality rates were 12.5% in the voricanozole, 30% in the amphotericin B and 33.3% in combined voriconazole -amphotericin B arms CONCLUSIONS: Invasive Trichosporon infections with an important impact of patients quality of life are almost related to underlying diseases with an overall mortality rate of 28.5%. Voriconazole was found to be associated with lower mortality rates when compared with other treatment regimens.

Carbapenem and colistin resistance in children with Enterobacteriaceae infections.

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are an emerging global public health threat. As a reserve agent, colistin has been the drug of choice for the treatment of infections caused by CRE. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of carbapenem and colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections and to investigate the outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in a single university hospital between the years 2013 and 2017 including 150 patients with Enterobacteriaceae infections. RESULTS: Of 150 Enterobacteriaceae infections, 62 (41%) were carbapenem and 23 (15%) were colistin-resistant. Colistin resistance rates among Enterobacteriaceae species increased from 4% in 2014 to 25% in 2017. The inhospital mortality of the patients with colistin-resistant and with carbapenem-resistant infections were 39% (9/23) and 45% (28/62), respectively. Prior exposure to polyantibiotic therapy for Gram negative bacteria was found as a predictor of CRE (OR = 6.4; 95% CI 3.07-13.6; p = 0.001) infections. The median length of hospital stay prior to positive culture (OR = 1.02; 95%CI, 1.0-1.04; p = 0.003) and history of surgery during the admission (OR = 2.46; 95% CI 1.2-5.1; p = 0.005) were found as the predictors of CRE infections. Underlying necrotizing enterocolitis and/or short-bowel syndrome (OR=6.38; 95%CI 1.16-35; p = 0.033) and mechanical ventilation prior to index culture were found as predictors of colistin resistance (OR = 9.4; 95% CI 2-40.4; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Recognizing the risk factors of carbapenem and colistin resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections is essential in order to conserve carbapenem and colistin since there are no new antibiotics to treat multidrugresistant Enterobacteriaceae infections.

Multicenter Hospital-Based Prospective Surveillance Study of Bacterial Agents Causing Meningitis and Seroprevalence of Different Serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae Type b, and Streptococcus pneumoniae during 2015 to 2018 in Turkey.

The etiology of bacterial meningitis in Turkey changed after the implementation of conjugated vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in the Turkish National Immunization Program (NIP). Administration of Hib vaccine and PCV-7 (7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) was implemented in NIP in 2006 and 2009, respectively. In 2011, PCV-7 was replaced with PCV-13. Meningococcal vaccines have not yet been included in Turkish NIP. This prospective study comprised 27 hospitals located in seven regions of Turkey and represented 45% of the population. Children aged between 1 month and 18 years who were hospitalized with suspected meningitis were included. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected, and bacterial identification was made according to the multiplex PCR assay results. During the study period, 994 children were hospitalized for suspected meningitis, and Hib (n = 3, 2.4%), S. pneumoniae (n = 33, 26.4%), and Neisseria meningitidis (n = 89, 71%) were detected in 125 samples. The most common meningococcal serogroup was MenB. Serogroup W comprised 13.9% (n = 5) and 7.5% (n = 4) of the meningococci in 2015 to 2016 and 2017 to 2018, respectively. Serogroup C was not detected. There were four deaths in the study; one was a pneumococcus case, and the others were serogroup B meningococcus cases. The epidemiology of meningococcal diseases has varied over time in Turkey. Differing from the previous surveillance periods, MenB was the most common serogroup in the 2015-to-2018 period. Meningococcal epidemiology is so dynamic that, for vaccination policies, close monitoring is crucial.IMPORTANCE Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is one of the most common life-threatening infections in children. The incidence and prevalence of ABM vary both geographically and temporally; therefore, surveillance systems are necessary to determine the accurate burden of ABM. The Turkish Meningitis Surveillance Group has been performing a hospital-based meningitis surveillance study since 2005 across several regions in Turkey. Meningococcus was the major ABM-causing agent during the 2015-to-2018 period, during which MenB was the dominant serogroup.

Mediterranean fever gene variants and colchicine therapy in periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis pharyngitis, adenitis syndrome in a Mediterranean region.

OBJECTIVES: Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, adenitis syndrome is characterized by recurrent episodes of fever. Attenuated disease severity was considered in patients with Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene variations. Corticosteroids are highly effective in controlling the symptoms but usually cause more frequent episodes. Frequent fever episodes either initiated after the steroid therapy or as an initial disease characteristics are the most challenging feature. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients were prospectively followed from September 2015 to January 2018. MEFV variants were searched in all patients. Colchicine therapy was initiated in patients with MEFV variants and with shortened intervals after the initiation of steroid therapy. RESULTS: Heterozygous MEFV gene variants were detected in 23 patients (34.3%). Higher exon 10 allel frequencies were found in patients with frequent fever episodes. Among 26 patients with increased episodes, colchicine treatment decreased the number of the episodes in 8 of 10 (80%) and 4 of 16 (25%) patients with and without variants, respectively (p = 0.022). Fever duration decreased (3.26 ± 1.38 vs. 1.57 ± 0.57 days, p < 0.001) at the third month of therapy in variant(+) patients. CONCLUSION: In variant positive patients colchicine prophylaxis reduced the duration of attacks at the third months of therapy. Shortened intervals due to steroid therapy were increased at the sixth months of colchicine therapy.

Clinical findings and genetic analysis of the patients with IL-12Rß1 deficiency from southeast Turkey.

Dogruel D, Gündeslioglu ÖÖ, Yilmaz M, Alabaz D, Altintas DU, Kocabas E. Clinical findings and genetic analysis of the patients with IL- 12Rß1 deficiency from southeast Turkey. Turk J Pediatr 2019; 61: 174-179. IL-12Rß1 deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by predisposition to poorly pathogenic mycobacteria, salmonella and candida species. We aimed to analyze the clinical manifestations, immunological and genetic features of IL-12Rß1 deficiency in 10 Turkish patients from a single center. We retrospectively studied the clinical manifestations and genetic analysis of the IL-12Rß1 deficiency patients from 2008 to 2016. Ten patients were diagnosed and followed for eight years. The mean age at onset and diagnosis were 24.1±42.5 (med:10.5) and 52.3±6.83 (med:20) months, respectively. Parental consanguinity rate was 81.8%. All patients were BCG vaccinated. Abscess and axillary lymphadenopathy in the vaccinated area was the most common initial presentation following the BCG vaccination, six patients had recurring oral candidiasis. Active infections were treated appropriately, in addition to prophylactic therapy with IFNÉ£. We identified 6 different mutations in the IL12RB1 gene in 10 patients including 5 splice-site mutations, 3 missense, 1 frameshift, 1 premature stop codon. One of these mutations was novel. The most common mutation was IVS8+1G > A(c.783+1G > A) followed by p.R175W(c.523C > T). This study emphasizes that patients presented with abscess and axillary lymphadenopathy associated with BCG vaccination should be evaluated for IL-12Rß1 deficiency.

[Rotavirus prevalence and genotype distribution in children with acute gastroenteritis in Adana province]. / Adana ilinde akut gastroenteritli çocuklarda rotavirüs prevalansi ve genotip dagilimi.

Rotavirus is the most common agent of acute gastroenteritis in children under five years of age and still a major cause of mortality and morbidity mainly in devoloping countries. The aim of this study was to determine the circulating rotavirus genotypes in children less than five years of age with acute gastroenteritis in Adana province, before the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine into the national immunization programme. Fecal specimens were collected from children enrolled between December 2012 and November 2016 and rotavirus antigen was searched by a rapid immunochromatographic test method. The antigen positive samples were G and Pgenotyped by hemi-nested type-specific multiplex reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Rotavirus antigen positive fecal specimens from 201 patients of 107 (53.3%) boys and 94 (46.8%) girls were included in this study. Rotavirus infection was most frequently detected in patients with gastroenteritis between the ages of 12 and 23 months. It has been determined that 45% of rotavirus gastroenteritis was determined in children under two years of age. Rotavirus gastroenteritis was more frequent between September and April, but the highest incidence was detected in January. Of 201 rotavirus antigen-positive stool specimens, 167 were PCR positive. Five common G (G1, G2, G3, G4 and G9) and two common P genotypes (P[8] and P[4]) were determined as 91.6% and 96.4% of the isolates, respectively. The most prevalent G and P genotype combination was G1P8 with a frequency of 29.9%, followed by 21% G9P8 About 78% of rotavirus isolates were classified into five common G-P combination genotypes, including G1P8, G9P8 G3P8, G2P4, and G2P8. During the study period, there were significant changes in the distribution of rotavirus genotype. The prevalence of G9P8 genotype sharply decreased from 40% to 8.1% and the prevalence of G1P8 genotype increased from 21.3% to 48.6%. Although no G3P8 isolates were detected in the first two years of the study, this genotype was detected in 18.5% and 13.5% of the samples in 2015 and 2016, respectively. There were no relationship between the age onset of the disease, sex, dehydration development risk and rotavirus genotype. The results from this study indicated that the predominant circulating strains of rotavirus determined in clinical specimens were G1P8 and G9P8. Significant changes were observed in the prevalence of the most common rotavirus isolates over the years. Rotavirus surveillance is important to determine the circulating strains of rotavirus to assess vaccine effectiveness, to monitor vaccine failures, and to detect potential emerging strains.

Molecular epidemiology and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from children in a Turkish university hospital.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the types of healthcare-associated infections (HC-AIs) caused by Acinetobacter baumannii and the related antibiotic susceptibility patterns as well as the genotypic characteristics of the Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from our center. Sixty-nine Acinetobacter baumannii isolates originating from various samples collected from 69 pediatric patients during their hospital stays were included in the study. The types of healthcare-associated infections caused by these isolates were evaluated, and the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and the genotypic characteristics of the isolates were determined using the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method. Fifty of the 69 children were observed to have HC-AIs, and 19 children had Acinetobacter baumannii colonization. Healthcare-associated pneumonia (58%) was the most common type of these infections. The rate of carbapenem resistance was found as 91.3%, while tigecycline resistance was found as 18.84%. No colistin resistance was observed in any of the isolates. A total of 10 groups, comprising eight major and two minor groups, were determined using the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis method. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates are the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections, and they show high rates of multidrug antibiotic resistance. Molecular epidemiological evaluation using PFGE plays an important role in preventing healthcare-associated infections.