Respiratory syncytial virus-associated mortality in a healthy 3-year-old child: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most frequently identified pathogen in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection. Fatal cases have mainly been reported during the first 6 months of life or in the presence of comorbidity. CASE PRESENTATION: A 47-month-old girl was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit following sudden cardiopulmonary arrest occurring at home. The electrocardiogram showed cardiac asystole, which was refractory to prolonged resuscitation efforts. Postmortem analyses detected RSV by polymerase chain reaction in an abundant, exudative pericardial effusion. Histopathological examination was consistent with viral myoepicarditis, including an inflammatory process affecting cardiac nerves and ganglia. Molecular analysis of sudden unexplained death genes identified a heterozygous mutation in myosin light chain 2, which was also found in two other healthy members of the family. Additional expert interpretation of the cardiac histology confirmed the absence of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSIONS: RSV-related sudden death in a normally developing child of this age is exceptional. This case highlights the risk of extrapulmonary manifestations associated with this infection, particularly arrhythmia induced by inflammatory phenomena affecting the cardiac autonomic nervous system. The role of the mutation in this context is uncertain, and it is therefore necessary to continue to assess how this pathogenic variant contributes to unexpected sudden death in childhood.

Epidemiological survey in a day care center following toddler sudden death due to human metapneumovirus infection.

We report the sudden death of a 33-month-old child owing to acute respiratory distress syndrome due to human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection. Of 30 children attending the same day care centre, 26% and 59% had hMPV and multiple infections, respectively; three of six children with pneumonia had a diagnosis of hMPV. hMPV infection is common in childhood viral co-infections but it can cause sudden death.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): characteristics of deaths since the fall in SIDS in the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

The characteristics of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon from 2003-2008 were examined in a retrospective study of two groups classified as unexplained sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) (SIDS, n = 27) or explained SUDI (n = 22). The interval between the time the baby was last observed alive (time of last feed) and the discovery of death was evaluated. In SIDS, 67% (18/27) of deaths were discovered during the day (09:00-21:00 h) mostly within 4 h after feeding (66%). In explained SUDI, 68.2% of deaths were discovered at night and time intervals between the last feed and discovery of death were longer (mean 7.1 h, p<0.01). Most SIDS deaths were discovered during the day and explained SUDI discovered at night. Variations in time between the last feed and discovery of death in the two groups may result from differences in parental attentiveness during the day and at night.

Continuous-infusion vancomycin therapy for preterm neonates with suspected or documented Gram-positive infections: a new dosage schedule.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent infusion of vancomycin is widely used to treat late-onset sepsis in neonates. On the other hand, the continuous infusion of vancomycin could improve bactericidal efficacy since its action is time dependent. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a simplified dosage schedule for continuous-infusion vancomycin therapy. METHODS: Prospective study in premature neonates (<34 weeks) with suspected coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) sepsis. Before antibiotics at time zero (T0), serum creatinine was measured and blood cultures were collected. Vancomycin dosage began with 25 mg/kg/day or 15 mg/kg/day (period 1) and 30 mg/kg/day or 20 mg/kg/day (period 2) depending on whether serum creatinine was below or above 90 mumol/l. Two days after beginning treatment (first timepoint: T1), serum vancomycin was measured and second blood cultures were collected. RESULTS: Between June 2002 and December 2005, 145 neonates were evaluated. At birth, the median (interquartile range) body weight was 920 (500-1160) g and gestational age was 28 (26-29) weeks. At T1, serum vancomycin was within the required range in 74.5% of neonates (108/145). Serum vancomycin levels were higher in period 2 than in period 1 (20 mg/l vs 13 mg/l, p<0.05). At T0, 55% (80/145) of blood cultures were positive for CoNS, but 71% (57/80) were negative at T1. Four days after beginning treatment, 92% of subjects had recovered without removing the central venous catheter. CONCLUSION: Using this simplified dosage schedule, bactericidal efficacy was maintained and most subjects had serum vancomycin concentrations within the therapeutic range.

[Digoxin-Josamycin: a dangerous drug interaction in children]. / Digoxine-Josamycine: une interaction dangereuse chez l'enfant.

Digitalis intoxication is usually accidental in children. We report the case of a young infant with congenital heart disease in whom the coadministration of digoxin and josamycin led to a 50% increase in the digoxin concentration, generating sinoatrial block and cardiac failure. Clinical and electrocardiographic symptoms very quickly resolved following immunotherapy with antidigitalis Fab fragments. Digoxin concentrations must be carefully monitored in patients concomitantly receiving macrolides to ensure that the digoxin dose can be readjusted if necessary.

Molecular identification of a Dietzia maris hip prosthesis infection isolate.

Dietzia maris, an environmental actinomycete, has been implicated only once in human disease. We herein report the first D. maris isolate from a bone biopsy specimen in a patient hospitalized for a total hip prosthesis replacement. Cell wall fatty acid analysis and 16S ribosomal DNA gene sequencing were utilized to achieve its definite identification. This case report illustrates the usefulness of such methods for the accurate identification of actinomycetes.