Summer diarrhea in children: a monocentric French epidemiological observational study.

Pediatric diarrhea is a major public health problem worldwide. In France, continuous surveillance shows a winter epidemic peak and a more modest summer recrudescence. Few studies describe the infectious agents responsible for pediatric summer diarrhea in France. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of infectious diarrhea and describe the pathogens responsible for summer diarrhea in children; and to describe common factors that can be used as guidance on the etiology of these diarrheas. A cross-sectional, single-center, epidemiological observational study was conducted in the pediatric emergency department of a French hospital between June and September in 2019 and 2020. Multiplex gastrointestinal pathogen panels were used for diagnostics. A multiple correspondence analysis was used to determine profiles of patients. A total of 95 children were included, of whom 82.1% (78/95) were under five years old. The prevalence of infectious summer diarrhea was 81.1% (77/95, 95%CI 71.7-88.4%). A total of 126 infectious agents were detected (50.0% bacteria, 38.1% viruses, 11.9% parasites). The main enteric pathogens were enteropathogen Escherichia coli (24/126), rotavirus (17/126) and Salmonella (16/126). A co-detection was found in 51.9% (40/77) of cases. Four patient profiles, considering the severity and the pathogen involved, were highlighted.

Triage nurse-initiated X-ray radiography in minor trauma.

BACKGROUND: Overcrowding of paediatric emergency departments (EDs) is a worldwide issue, where improving the quality of care is a priority. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of triage nurse-initiated X-ray radiography on length of stay in paediatric emergency admissions. METHODS: This retrospective, monocentric, descriptive study was performed in two successive 3-month periods: a pre-protocol ('before') period from 3 February to 3 May 2020 and a protocol ('after') period from 4 May to 2 August 2020, when patients underwent nurse-initiated X-ray radiography. The study involved all patients who were aged ≥3 years, valid, non-hyperalgic, accompanied by their parents and consulting at the paediatric ED for a simple closed distal trauma, involving a single limb segment or joint. RESULTS: A total of 695 patients were included, 298 in the first period and 397 in the second period. The median length of stay in the paediatric ED was significantly shorter during the second period (119 min [80, 165] vs. 80 min [60, 105], P < 0.001), i.e. a median reduction time of 39 min or 33% (effect size = - 0.68, 95% confidence interval [-0.84 to -0.53]). Triage nurse requests were judged 'adequate and sufficient' in 95.2% of cases, with only 2.0% of instances deemed 'unnecessary' by the medical team. In 2.8% of cases, 'another X-ray' was required to support diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The application of a triage nurse X-ray protocol significantly reduced the length of stay in a paediatric ED. The quality of patient management remained unchanged, and nurse requests were relevant.

Assessment of blood enterovirus PCR testing in paediatric populations with fever without source, sepsis-like disease, or suspected meningitis: a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Enteroviruses are the most frequent cause of acute meningitis and are seen increasingly in sepsis-like disease and fever without source in the paediatric population. Detection of enterovirus in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens by PCR is the gold standard diagnostic test. Our aim was to assess a method of detecting enterovirus in blood specimens by PCR. METHODS: We did a prospective, multicentre, observational study at 35 French paediatric and emergency departments in 16 hospitals. We recruited newborn babies (aged ≤28 days) and infants (aged >28 days to ≤2 years) with fever without source, sepsis-like disease, or suspected meningitis, and children (aged >2 years to ≤16 years) with suspected meningitis, who were admitted to a participating hospital. We used a standardised form to obtain demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, which were anonymised. Enterovirus PCR testing was done in blood and CSF specimens. FINDINGS: Between June 1, 2015, and Oct 31, 2015, and between June 1, 2016, and Oct 31, 2016, we enrolled 822 patients, of whom 672 had enterovirus PCR testing done in blood and CSF specimens. Enterovirus was detected in 317 (47%) patients in either blood or CSF, or both (71 newborn babies, 83 infants, and 163 children). Detection of enterovirus was more frequent in blood samples than in CSF specimens of newborn babies (70 [99%] of 71 vs 62 [87%] of 71; p=0·011) and infants (76 [92%] of 83 vs 62 [75%] of 83; p=0·008), and was less frequent in blood samples than in CSF specimens of children (90 [55%] of 163 vs 148 [91%] of 163; p<0·0001). Detection of enterovirus was more frequent in blood samples than in CSF specimens of infants aged 2 years or younger with fever without source (55 [100%] of 55 vs 41 [75%] of 55; p=0·0002) or with sepsis-like disease (16 [100%] of 16 vs nine [56%] of 16; p=0·008). Detection of enterovirus was less frequent in blood than in CSF of patients with suspected meningitis (165 [67%] of 246 vs 222 [90%] of 246; p<0·0001). INTERPRETATION: Testing for enterovirus in blood by PCR should be an integral part of clinical practice guidelines for infants aged 2 years or younger. This testing could decrease the length of hospital stay and reduce exposure to antibiotics for low-risk patients admitted to the emergency department with febrile illness. FUNDING: University Hospital Clermont-Ferrand.

RSV-hRV co-infection is a risk factor for recurrent bronchial obstruction and early sensitization 3 years after bronchiolitis.

To assess risk factors of recurrent bronchial obstruction and allergic sensitization 3 years after an episode of acute bronchiolitis, whether after ambulatory care treatment or hospitalization. A monocentric prospective longitudinal study including infants aged under 1 year with acute bronchiolitis was performed, with clinical (severity score), biological (serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 antigen), and viral (14 virus by naso-pharyngeal suction detection) assessments. Follow-up included a quaterly telephone interview, and a final clinical examination at 3 years. Biological markers of atopy were also measured in peripheral blood, including specific IgEs towards aero- and food allergens. Complete data were available for 154 children. 46.8% of them had recurrent wheezing (RW). No difference was found according to initial severity, care at home or in the hospital, respiratory virus involved, or existence of co-infection. A familial history of atopy was identified as a risk factor for recurrent bronchial obstruction (60% for RW infants versus 39%, P = 0.02), as living in an apartment (35% versus 15%, P = 0.002). 18.6% of the infants were sensitized, with 48.1% of them sensitized to aeroallergens and 81.5% to food allergens. Multivariate analysis confirmed that a familial history of atopy (P = 0.02) and initial co-infection RSV-hRV (P = 0.02) were correlated with the risk of sensitization to aeroallergens at 3 years. Familial history of atopy and RSV-hRV co-infection are risk factors for recurrent bronchial obstruction and sensitization.

Predicting the severity of acute bronchiolitis in infants: should we use a clinical score or a biomarker?

Krebs von den Lungen 6 antigen (KL-6) has been shown to be a useful biomarker of the severity of Respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis. To assess the correlation between the clinical severity of acute bronchiolitis, serum KL-6, and the causative viruses, 222 infants with acute bronchiolitis presenting at the Pediatric Emergency Department of Estaing University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France, were prospectively enrolled from October 2011 to May 2012. Disease severity was assessed with a score calculated from oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and respiratory effort. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was collected to screen for a panel of 20 respiratory viruses. Serum was assessed and compared with a control group of 38 bronchiolitis-free infants. No significant difference in KL-6 levels was found between the children with bronchiolitis (mean 231 IU/mL ± 106) and those without (230 IU/mL ± 102), or between children who were hospitalized or not, or between the types of virus. No correlation was found between serum KL-6 levels and the disease severity score. The absence of Human Rhinovirus was a predictive factor for hospitalization (OR 3.4 [1.4-7.9]; P = 0.006). Older age and a higher oxygen saturation were protective factors (OR 0.65[0.55-0.77]; P < 0.0001 and OR 0.67 [0.54-0.85] P < 0.001, respectively). These results suggest that in infants presenting with bronchiolitis for the first time, clinical outcome depends more on the adaptive capacities of the host than on epithelial dysfunction intensity. Many of the features of bronchiolitis are affected by underlying disease and by treatment.