Epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility of bloodstream fungal isolates in pediatric patients: a Spanish multicenter prospective survey.

Data on fungemia epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility of isolates from children are scarce, leading frequently to pediatric empirical treatment based on available adult data. The present study was designed to update the epidemiological, mycological, and in vitro susceptibility data on fungal isolates from children with fungemia in Spain. All fungemia episodes were identified prospectively by blood culture over 13 months at 30 hospitals. Tests of susceptibility to amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin were performed at participant institutions by a microdilution colorimetric method. New species-specific clinical breakpoints for fluconazole, voriconazole, and echinocandins were also applied. A total of 203 episodes of fungemia in 200 children were identified. A higher proportion of fungal isolates was from general wards than intensive care units (ICU). Candida parapsilosis (46.8%), Candida albicans (36.5%), Candida tropicalis (5.9%), Candida glabrata (3.9%), and Candida guilliermondii (2.5%) were the leading species. C. parapsilosis was the predominant species except in neonates. C. albicans was the most frequent in neonatal ICU settings (51.9%). Intravascular catheter (79.3%), surgery (35%), prematurity (30%), and neutropenia (11%) were the most frequent predisposing factors. Most Candida isolates (95.1%) were susceptible to all antifungals. When the new species-specific clinical breakpoints were applied, all C. parapsilosis isolates were susceptible to echinocandins except one, which was micafungin resistant. This is the largest published series of fungemia episodes in the pediatric setting. C. parapsilosis is the most prevalent species in Spain, followed by C. albicans and C. tropicalis. Resistance to azole and echinocandin agents is extremely rare among Candida species. The fluconazole resistance rate in Spain has decreased in the last 10 years.

[Erythrovirus B19 infection]. / Infección por Erythrovirus B19.

Erythrovirus B19 has been associated with an expanding range of clinical disorders since its identification as the etiological agent of erythema infectiosum, or fifth disease of childhood: acute arthropathy, dermatologic manifestations, chronic anemia in immunocompromised patients, and transient aplastic crisis in individuals with underlying chronic hemolytic disorders. Furthermore, exposure to and infection by B19 virus can lead to serious complications during pregnancy, which may result in fetal anemia, spontaneous abortion, and hydrops fetalis. Consequently, the B19 immune status of pregnant women should be routinely determined. Because many immunocompromised patients with chronic anemia will respond positively to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, laboratory confirmation of B19 infection is required. Since Erythrovirus B19 cannot be routinely grown in vitro, diagnostic methods for detecting the presence of B19 by molecular techniques or by investigating the specific immune response should be considered in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Infección por Erythrovirus B19 / Erythrovirus B19 infection

Erythrovirus B19 se ha asociado con una gran variedad de manifestaciones clínicas diferentes desde que se descubriera como agente etiológico del eritema infeccioso o quinta enfermedad infantil: artropatía aguda, manifestaciones dermatológicas diversas, anemia crónica en inmunodeprimidos y crisis aplásica transitoria, en pacientes con anemias hemolíticas crónicas. Además, la exposición y la infección por B19 durante el embarazo pueden acarrear graves complicaciones para el feto, como anemia fetal, aborto espontáneo e hydrops fetalis. Por tanto, el estado inmunitario frente al B19 debería realizarse de forma sistemática en la embarazada. Muchos pacientes inmunodeprimidos con anemia crónica responden al tratamiento con inmunoglobulina por vía intravenosa; por ello, en estos casos es de gran importancia la confirmación de la infección por el virus. Puesto que es muy difícil su cultivo in vitro, consideramos que actualmente los laboratorios de microbiología clínica deberían realizar las técnicas serológicas y los nuevos métodos de detección de ADN viral disponibles para el diagnóstico de la infección por B19

Erythrovirus B19 has been associated with an expanding range of clinical disorders since its identification as the etiological agent of erythema infectiosum, or fifth disease of childhood: acute arthropathy, dermatologic manifestations, chronic anemia in immunocompromised patients, and transient aplastic crisis in individuals with underlying chronic hemolytic disorders. Furthermore, exposure to and infection by B19 virus can lead to serious complications during pregnancy, which may result in fetal anemia, spontaneous abortion, and hydrops fetalis. Consequently, the B19 immune status of pregnant women should be routinely determined. Because many immunocompromised patients with chronic anemia will respond positively to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, laboratory confirmation of B19 infection is required. Since Erythrovirus B19 cannot be routinely grown in vitro, diagnostic methods for detecting the presence of B19 by molecular techniques or by investigating the specific immune response should be considered in clinical microbiology laboratories