Nutritional Supplementation to Increase Influenza Vaccine Response in Children Living With HIV: A Pilot Clinical Trial.

Aims: Vaccine response is poor among children living with HIV. The gut microbiota has been identified as a potential target to improve vaccine immunogenicity, but data are scarce in the context of HIV infection. Methods: Pilot, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial in which 24 HIV-infected children were randomized to receive a mixture of symbiotics, omega-3/6 fatty acids, and amino acids or placebo for 4 weeks, each in combination with ART, and were then immunized against influenza. Vaccine response and safety of the nutritional supplementation were the primary outcomes. Results: Eighteen HIV-infected children completed the follow-up period (mean age 11.5 ± 4.14 years, 61% female). The nutritional supplement was safe but did not enhance the response to the influenza vaccine. A 4-fold rise in antibody titers was obtained in only 37.5% of participants in the intervention arm vs. 40% in the placebo. No immunological or inflammatory predictors of vaccine response were identified. Conclusions: In this exploratory study, a 4-week course of symbiotics did not increase influenza vaccine immunogenicity in HIV-infected children. Larger studies are warranted to address the potential of modulating the microbiome in children living with HIV.

A 14-year Prospective Study of Human Coronavirus Infections in Hospitalized Children: Comparison With Other Respiratory Viruses.

BACKGROUND: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) have been recognized as causative agents of respiratory tract infections.Our aim was to describe HCoV infections in hospitalized children in a prospective surveillance study for 14 years and compare them with other respiratory viruses. METHODS: As a part of an ongoing prospective study to identify the etiology of viral respiratory infections in Spain, we performed the analysis of HCoV infections in children hospitalized in a secondary hospital in Madrid, between October 2005 and June 2018. Clinical data of HCoV patients were compared with those infected by rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 5131 hospitalizations for respiratory causes in children. A total of 3901 cases (75.9%) had a positive viral identification and 205 cases (4.1%) were positive for HCoV. Only 41 cases (20%) of HCoV infection were detected as single infections. Episodes of recurrent wheezing were the most common diagnosis, and 112 children (54%) had hypoxia. Clinical data in HCoV cases were similar to those associated with rhinovirus; however, patients with HCoV were younger. Other viruses were associated with hypoxia more frequently than cases with HCoV; high fever was more common in influenza infections and bronchiolitis in respiratory syncytial virus group. Although a slight peak of circulation appears mostly in winter, HCoV has been detected throughout the year as well. CONCLUSIONS: HCoV infections represent a small fraction of respiratory infections that require hospitalization in children and their characteristics do not differ greatly from other respiratory viral infections.

Genetic variability of respiratory syncytial virus A in hospitalized children in the last five consecutive winter seasons in Central Spain.

Human respiratory syncytial virus group A (RSV-A) was detected in symptomatic hospital attended children in Central Spain for a continuous time period, September 2010 to April 2015. In order to accurately describe the epidemiology of this virus, the genetic diversity of the complete G gene and the clinical manifestations observed were jointly analyzed. Out of 3,011 respiratory specimens taken from 2,308 children, 640 were positive to RSV (21.3%) and 405 were RSV-A (63.2%). Complete G gene sequences of 166 randomly selected RSV-A virus identified NA1 and ON1 genotypes. In 2011-2012, ON1 emerged sporadically and become dominant in 2012-2013 with 38 cases (70%). In 2014-2015, all the 44 sequences contained the 72-nt duplication (100%). Clinical diagnosis of children with ON1 genotype were bronchiolitis in 55 (62.5%), recurrent wheezing or asthma exacerbations in 22 (25%), laryngotracheobronchitis in 3 (3.4%), and upper respiratory tract infections in eight. Results showed replacement and substitution of circulating NA1 genotype with the new ON1 genotype. Nevertheless, at this stage, none of the RSV-A genotypes identified have resulted in significant clinical differences. The amino acid composition of the complete G gene ON1 sequences demonstrated an accumulation of single changes not related with different clinical presentation. J. Med. Virol. 89:767-774, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Respiratory Infections by Enterovirus D68 in Outpatients and Inpatients Spanish Children.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) and the spectrum of clinical disease in children are not well known in European countries. We have designed a study with the objective of describing the clinical impact of EV-D68 detected in children with respiratory tract infections. METHODS: As a part of a prospective study to identify the etiology and clinical characteristics of viral respiratory infections in children in Spain, we performed the analysis of the cases of EV infections in all children hospitalized in a secondary hospital in Madrid, during the epidemic respiratory season 2012-2013. A second group of samples was corresponded to infants of the same area, with ambulatory respiratory infection or asymptomatic. Phylogenetic EV-D68 analysis was made using the viral protein 1 gene (VP1). Clinical data of EV-D68 patients were compared with those infected by rhinovirus in the same period and population. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 720 patients corresponding to 399 episodes of hospitalization for respiratory causes, 44 episodes of ambulatory respiratory infections and 277 children determined as a healthy control group. A total of 22 patients were positive for EVs (3.05%), and 12 of them were specifically typed as EV-D68 (11/443 respiratory infections, 2.5%). The most frequent diagnosis in the 10 hospitalized children with EV-D68 detection was recurrent wheezing. Hypoxia was present in 70% of cases, but admission in the intensive care unit was not required. No neurological signs or symptoms were observed. One patient had an ambulatory mild bronchiolitis and another was asymptomatic. No differences were found with rhinovirus infections except less duration of hypoxia and fever in EV-D68 group. CONCLUSIONS: EV-D68 infections were detected in 3.05% of respiratory studied samples (2.5% of admissions). The infection was associated with wheezing episodes with hypoxia. No admissions to intensive care unit or neurological symptoms were found.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Coinfections With Rhinovirus and Human Bocavirus in Hospitalized Children.

It is not clearly established if coinfections are more severe than single viral respiratory infections.The aim of the study was to study and to compare simple infections and viral coinfections of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in hospitalized children.From September 2005 to August 2013, a prospective study was conducted on children younger than 14 years of age, admitted with respiratory infection to the Pediatric Department of the Severo Ochoa Hospital, in Spain. Specimens of nasopharyngeal aspirate were taken for virological study by using polymerase chain reaction, and clinical data were recorded. Simple RSV infections were selected and compared with double infections of RSV with rhinovirus (RV) or with human bocavirus (HBoV).In this study, 2993 episodes corresponding to 2525 children were analyzed. At least 1 virus was detected in 77% (2312) of the episodes. Single infections (599 RSV, 513 RV, and 81 HBoV) were compared with 120 RSV-RV and 60 RSV-HBoV double infections. The RSV-RV coinfections had fever (63% vs 43%; P < 0.001) and hypoxia (70% vs 43%; P < 0.001) more often than RV infections. Hypoxia was similar between single or dual infections (71%). Bronchiolitis was more frequent in the RSV simple group (P < 0.001). Pediatric intensive care unit admission was more common in RSV simple or RSV-RV groups than in the RV monoinfection (P = 0.042).Hospitalization was longer for both RSV simple group and RSV-HBoV coinfection, lasting about 1 day (4.7 vs 3.8 days; P < 0.001) longer than in simple HBoV infections. There were no differences in PICU admission. RSV single group was of a younger age than the other groups.Coinfections between RSV-RV and RSV-HBoV are frequent. Overall viral coinfections do not present greater severity, but have mixed clinical features.