Incidence and Outcome of Coinfections with SARS-CoV-2 and Rhinovirus.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the clinical severity in patients who were coinfected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and rhinovirus or monoinfected with a single one of these viruses. METHODS: The study period ranged from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 (one year). SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses were identified by real-time reverse-transcription-PCR as part of the routine work at Marseille University hospitals. Bacterial and fungal infections were detected by standard methods. Clinical data were retrospectively collected from medical files. This study was approved by the ethical committee of our institute. RESULTS: A total of 6034/15,157 (40%) tested patients were positive for at least one respiratory virus. Ninety-three (4.3%) SARS-CoV-2-infected patients were coinfected with another respiratory virus, with rhinovirus being the most frequent (62/93, 67%). Patients coinfected with SARS-CoV-2 and rhinovirus were significantly more likely to report a cough than those with SARS-CoV-2 monoinfection (62% vs. 31%; p = 0.0008). In addition, they were also significantly more likely to report dyspnea than patients with rhinovirus monoinfection (45% vs. 36%; p = 0.02). They were also more likely to be transferred to an intensive care unit and to die than patients with rhinovirus monoinfection (16% vs. 5% and 7% vs. 2%, respectively) but these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: A close surveillance and investigation of the co-incidence and interactions of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses is needed. The possible higher risk of increased clinical severity in SARS-CoV-2-positive patients coinfected with rhinovirus warrants further large scale studies.

Injuries from alleged accidental minor head trauma in a prospective cohort of children aged 0-3 years in an emergency department.

INTRODUCTION: Minor head trauma in the child, whether accidental or inflicted, is a frequent reason for seeking medical attention. Our aim is to describe the characteristics of minor head trauma in children aged 0-3 years and the resulting injuries. This in order to help the clinician to suspect and thelegal expert to confirm intentional abuse. STUDY DESIGN: Children aged from 0 to 3 years with minor head trauma and attending the pediatric emergency department were included in the study between January 2013 and June 2014. The correlation between the characteristics of trauma and the resulting injuries was analyzed using a prospective data collection questionnaire completed by the physicians who cared for the child. RESULTS: A total of 709 children with minor head trauma were included in the study. In nearly 90% of cases, fall height was less than 1 m. Only one-third of children aged less than 6 months had external head injury. Low-intensity trauma, such as a low-velocity fall from a height of less than 1.5 m does not cause intracranial injury. External injuries were more frequent in children who had a fall with an anterior impact, while internal injuries were found only in posterior and lateral impacts. CONCLUSION: In the context of minor head trauma, the physician must be vigilant and must ask for a full and clear description of the trauma, its mechanisms and other characteristics, when external or internal head injuries are observed in children aged less than 6 months.