Clinical characteristics, molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of pertussis among children in southern China.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of pertussis cases have been reported in recent years. The reported cases from Shenzhen Children's Hospital were close to one tenth of all cases in China. The epidemiology of antigenic genotype and antibiotic resistance of circulating strains in children have been unknown in Shenzhen, southern China. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features and explore the genotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility of circulating Bordetella pertussis among children in Shenzhen. METHODS: Data of hospitalized children with pertussis in Shenzhen Children's Hospital from August 2015 to April 2017 were collected. The genetic variability of isolates was investigated and Etest was performed for phenotypic susceptibility to erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. RESULTS: 469 children with pertussis confirmed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were hospitalized and strains were isolated from 105 patients. White blood cell count ≥ 20 × 109/L and lymphocyte proportion ≥ 60% were observed in 39.29% of infants younger than 3 months. The two predominant profiles of virulence-associated allelic genes were ptxA1/ptxC1/ptxP1/prn1 (48.6%) and ptxA1/ptxC2/ptxP3/prn2 (44.8%). Among the isolates, 48.6% (51/105) were found resistant to macrolides. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that leukocytosis is not a sensitive indicator of pertussis. Isolates with the gene profile ptxP3/prn2 were highly circulating in Shenzhen and less resistant to macrolides, different from patterns observed in other parts of China.

Antibiotic usage in Chinese children: a point prevalence survey.

BACKGROUND: Children as a population have high antimicrobial prescribing rates which may lead to high resistance of bacteria according to data from some single-center surveys of antibiotic prescribing rates in China. The acquirement of baseline data of antibiotic prescribing is the basis of developing intervention strategies on inappropriate antimicrobial prescriptions. Few studies show clearly the pattern and detailed information on classes of antibiotics and distribution of indications of antibiotic prescriptions in children in China. This study aims to assess the antibiotic prescribing patterns among children and neonates hospitalized in 18 hospitals in China. METHODS: A 24-hour point prevalence survey on antimicrobial prescribing was conducted in hospitalized neonates and children in China from December 1st, 2016 to February 28th, 2017. Information on the antibiotic use of patients under 18 years of age who were administered one or more on-going antibiotics in the selected wards over a 24-hour period was collected. These data were submitted to the GARPEC (Global Antimicrobial Resistance, Prescribing and Efficacy in Children and Neonates) web-based application ( https://pidrg-database.sgul.ac.uk/redcap/ ). For statistical analysis, Microsoft Excel 2007 and SPSS 22.0 were used. RESULTS: The antibiotic data were collected in 35 wards in 18 hospitals from 9 provinces. In total, 67.76% (975/1439) of the patients (n = 1439) were given at least one antibiotic, including 58.1% (173/298) of neonates (n = 298) and 70.3% (802/1141) of children (n = 1141). In neonates, the three most frequently prescribed antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins (41.7%), penicillins plus enzyme inhibitor (23.8%), and carbapenems (11.2%). In children, the three most frequently prescribed antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins (35.5%), macrolides (23.2%), and penicillins plus enzyme inhibitors (15.9%). The most common indication for antibiotics was proven or probable bacterial lower respiratory tract infection (30.9% in neonates and 66.6% in children). CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotics are commonly prescribed in the Chinese children population. It is likely that the third-generation cephalosporins and macrolides are currently overused in Chinese children. Efforts must be made to ensure safe and appropriate antibiotic prescribing to reduce and prevent the future development of antibiotic resistance.

[Characteristics of severely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of severely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection. METHOD: Clinical data of 150 cases with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection confirmed with the use of a real-time polymerase-chain-reaction assay on nasopharyngeal swab specimens were analyzed. RESULT: Among 150 severely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, 103 were male, 47 were female; the median age was 5 years, 81(55%) were 5 years of age or older; 21 (14%) had underlying chronic diseases. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (95%), cough (89%), vomiting (23%), wheezing (19%), abdominal pain (16%), lethargy (7%), seizures (6%), myalgia (6%), and diarrhea (6%). The common laboratory abnormalities were increased or decreased white blood cells counts (40%), elevated of CRP (33%), LDH (29%), CK (25%) and AST (19%). Clinical complications included pneumonia (65%), encephalopathy (12%), myocarditis (5%), encephalitis (1%) and myositis (1%). All patients had received antibiotics before admission or on admission; 73% of patients had received oseltamivir treatment, 23% of patients had received corticosteroids; 32 (21%) were admitted to an ICU, 13 patients were intubated and mechanically ventilated. Fourteen patients with dyspnea who were irresponsive to the treatment experienced bronchoalveolar lavage with flexible bronchoscopy, and the branching bronchial casts were removed in 5 patients. Totally 145 (97%) patients were discharged, five (3%) died, three previously healthy patients died from severe encephalopathy, one patient died from ARDS, one previously healthy patient died from secondary fungal meningitis. CONCLUSION: Severely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection may occur mainly in older children without underlying chronic disease. The clinical spectrum and laboratory abnormality of the patients can have a wide range. Neurologic complications may be common and severe encephalopathy can lead to death in previously healthy children. Early use of bronchoalveolar lavage with flexible bronchoscopy may reduce death associated with pulmonary complications.