Recurrent Serratia marcescens osteomyelitis eight years after a contaminated open fracture: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) is an unusual cause of osteomyelitis. Infection may develop following open trauma, intravenous drug abuse, or in the presence of hardware, but osteoarticular infections outside of this context are atypical in the absence of immunodeficiency. Rarely, a chronic indolent infection may develop after open trauma with disease recurrence years after the initial injury. Case Description: We present the case of a 16-year-old male with extensive left lower extremity osteomyelitis secondary to S. marcescens eight years after an open fracture to this leg was complicated by an infection with the same organism. Suboptimal therapy of his initial infection may have contributed to persistent, latent disease before recurrence years later. Evaluation for immunodeficiency was negative and he responded well to ciprofloxacin antibiotic therapy. Conclusions: S. marcescens infection may complicate open fractures, and, if not adequately treated, a chronic, indolent infection may result, with disease recurrence years later. We stress the importance of adequate therapy for infectious complications following open fractures and discuss virulence factors of S. marcescens that may allow this organism to evade the immune system and survive subclinically within a host. The optimal therapy of S. marcescens osteomyelitis is not established and further studies are needed to best guide the therapeutic approach.

The Yield, Safety, and Cost-effectiveness of Decreasing Repeat Blood Cultures Beyond 48 Hours in a Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit.

Clear recommendations are needed on when repeat blood cultures (BCxs) in hospitalized children with cancer should be obtained. We reviewed all BCx obtained on the Hematology-Oncology Unit at Riley Hospital for Children, regardless of reason for patient admission or neutropenia status, between January 2015 and February 2021. Patients with positive BCx within 48 hours of initial cultures, history of stem cell transplant, or admitted to the intensive care unit were excluded. Medical records of patients with new positive BCx drawn >48 hours after initial BCx were reviewed. Seven (1.2%) hospitalization episodes grew new pathogens, or commensals treated as pathogens, on cultures beyond 48 hours. All patients with new, true pathogens were hemodynamically unstable or had recurrent fever when the new positive BCx was obtained. Twenty-three (4.0%) hospitalization episodes had contaminant cultures beyond 48 hours, with 74 (5.4%) of 1362 BCx collected beyond 48 hours being contaminated, resulting in an additional cost of $210,519 from increased length of stay. In conclusion, repeat BCx beyond 48 hours in pediatric hematology-oncology patients with negative initial cultures are low yield and costly. Repeat BCx can be safely and cost-effectively ceased after 48 hours of negative cultures in hemodynamically and clinically stable patients.

Case Series of False-Positive HIV Test Results in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients Following Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy: Guidance on How to Avoid and Resolve Diagnostic Dilemmas.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) Cell Therapy is approved for the treatment of pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia B-ALL. Lentiviral vector technology, highly modified from HIV-1, is used to induce stable, long-term transgene expression by integration into the host genome. This integration may interfere with HIV-1 NAAT producing false-positive results. Guidance for HIV diagnostic testing in pediatric B-ALL undergoing this type of therapy is lacking. Herein, we report case series with presented scenarios in which HIV-1 NAAT testing among CAR-T cell patients produced false-positive results, highlighting the importance careful assay selection and performance among this patient population.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in two pediatric patients with kidney disease on chronic immunosuppression: A case series.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2). While children appear to experience less severe disease than adults, those with underlying conditions such as kidney disease may be more susceptible to infection. Limited data are present for children with kidney disease, and there are limited prior reports of pediatric hemodialysis patients with COVID-19. This report describes the mild clinical disease course of COVID-19 in two pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease, one on hemodialysis and both on chronic immunosuppression. We review treatment in these patients, as well as our measures to reduce transmission among our hemodialysis patients and staff.

Global emerging resistance in pediatric infections with TB, HIV, and gram-negative pathogens.

Infants, children and adolescents are at risk of life-threatening, antimicrobial-resistant infections. Global burdens of drug-resistant TB, HIV and gram-negative pathogens have a particular impact on paediatric age groups, necessitating a paediatric-focused agenda to address emerging resistance. Dedicated approaches are needed to find, successfully treat and prevent resistant infections in paediatric populations worldwide. Challenges include the diagnosis and identification of resistant infections, limited access to novel antimicrobials or to paediatric-friendly formulations, limited access to research and clinical trials and implementation challenges related to prevention and successful completion of treatment. In this review, the particular complexities of emerging resistance in TB, HIV and gram-negative pathogens in children, with attention to both clinical and public health challenges, are highlighted. Key principles of a paediatric-focused agenda to address antimicrobial resistance are outlined. They include quality of care, increasing equitable access to key diagnostics, expanding antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention across global settings, and health system strengthening. Increased access to research studies, including clinical trials, is needed. Further study and implementation of care models and strategies for child- or adolescent-centred management of infections such as HIV and TB can critically improve outcome and avoid development of resistance. As the current global pandemic of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, threatens to disrupt health systems and services for vulnerable populations, this is a critical time to mitigate against a potential surge in the incidence of resistant infections.

Pediatric Travelers and Immigrant Children.

Children comprise a special group of international travelers. Immigrant and refugee children, along with children traveling to visit friends and relatives abroad or on leisure trips, require special attention by clinicians to prevent and treat travel-related conditions. [Pediatr Ann. 2019;48(9):e360-e369.].

Malassezia Pneumonia: A Rare Complication of Parenteral Nutrition Therapy.

Malassezia species (formerly known as Pityrosporum) are part of normal human skin flora and have been associated with benign dermatologic conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis and tinea versicolor. In rare cases, however, Malassezia has been associated with systemic disease in immunocompromised patients and infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Malassezia species require long-chain fatty acids for growth and therefore have a known predilection for individuals receiving lipid containing intravenous parenteral nutrition (PN). Systemic infections are characterized by prolonged fevers and illness but can include nonspecific signs and symptoms. We present the diagnosis and management of a rare case of an immunocompetent, nonneonatal, PN-dependent child with Malassezia furfur pneumonia.

Approach to Immunization for the Traveling Child.

Children are traveling to regions of the world that could pose a risk of acquiring diseases such as malaria, dermatosis, and infectious diarrhea. Most of these can be prevented by modifying high-risk behaviors or through the use of medications. Many of these same regions are endemic with diseases that are preventable through vaccination. Clinicians must be able to effectively prepare their pediatric-age travelers for international travel. Preventive education, prophylactic and self-treating medications, and vaccinations are all important components of this preparation. Familiarity with the use of travel vaccines is imperative.

Success With Extended-Infusion Meropenem After Recurrence of Baclofen Pump-Related Achromobacter Xylosoxidans Meningitis in an Adolescent.

A 13-year-old female experienced a recurrence of baclofen pump-related central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by Achromobacter, despite absence of retained foreign material. Due to the failure of meropenem (120 mg/kg/d in divided doses every 8 hours and infused over 30 minutes) in the initial infection, the dose was infused over 4 hours during the recurrence. Meropenem is an antibiotic for which efficacy is time dependent, and 4-hour versus 30-minute infusions have been shown to prolong the time the concentration of the antibiotic exceeds the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the organism at the site of infection (T>MIC). Meropenem serum concentrations were obtained and indicated that T>MIC was at least 75% of the dosing interval. Our patient improved with no noted recurrences or adverse effects on the extended-infusion meropenem regimen. Utilization of extended-infusion beta-lactam dosing whenever possible in the treatment of serious infections caused by gram-negative organisms should be considered, as this dosing appears to be safe and improves the probability of achieving pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic goals.

Decolonization of children after incision and drainage for MRSA abscess: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Whether decolonization following incision and drainage (I&D) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) abscess decreases repeat I&D and MRSA-positive cultures in children is unknown. MATERIALS/METHODS: Referral to the Pediatric Infectious Disease Service (PIDS) for decolonization was determined for eligible children (2003-2010), with outcomes studied over 12 months. RESULTS: We identified 653 children; 54 had been seen by PIDS. In the PIDS group, no patients (0/54, 0%) had a repeat I&D. In the no PIDS group 36/599 (6%) had a repeat I&D, P = .06. Logistic regression modeling for repeat I&D showed no significant effect, odds ratio = 0.29; 95% confidence interval = 0.04-2.15; P = .23. In the PIDS group, 3 patients (3/54, 5.6%) had a repeat MRSA-positive culture. In the no PIDS group, 58/599 (9.7%) had a positive repeat culture, P = .46. Logistic regression modeling for positive culture showed no significant effect (odds ratio = 0.55; 95% confidence interval = 0.17-1.81; P = .32). CONCLUSIONS: We detected no statistically significant association between decolonization and repeat I&D or MRSA-positive culture.

Preparing children for international travel: need for training and pediatric-focused research.

BACKGROUND: The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) Pediatric Interest Group (PedIG) was created in 2010. We studied the group's professional characteristics and practice patterns to identify clinical areas requiring further training and research related to pediatric international travel. METHODS: PedIG members were emailed a two-part online questionnaire in September 2011, which comprised questions about professional and practice details, followed by a survey regarding decisions on nine patient scenarios that represent common pediatric pre-travel health challenges. RESULTS: Ninety-three (34%) of 273 members completed the survey. Most were physicians (80%) having a primary specialization in pediatrics (55%) and family medicine (19%). About a third (37%) had acquired the ISTM Certificate in Travel Health (CTH); 14 and 11% chose not to provide malaria chemoprophylaxis for a 2-month-old infant and a 13-year-old child traveling to West Africa, respectively. Azithromycin for empiric treatment of travelers' diarrhea in a 2-year-old traveler to Thailand and Mexico was suggested by 74 and 58%, respectively, while the use of acetazolamide for a 2-month old infant traveling to a high-altitude destination was rarely (13%) chosen. In vaccine-focused scenarios, 71, 69, 21, and 10% would prescribe the meningococcal vaccine for a 6-month-old traveler to Burkina Faso, Japanese encephalitis vaccine to a 10-year-old traveler to Cambodia, hepatitis A vaccine to a 6-month-old traveler to El Salvador, and the typhoid vaccine to a 1-year-old traveler to India, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Members of the PedIG have diverse professional and practice backgrounds. Lack of awareness of established guidelines may place international pediatric travelers at risk for travel-associated morbidity. Strategies are needed to facilitate education and support research in pediatric travel medicine to formulate evidence-based guidelines wherever they are currently missing.