Risk factors and incidence of cytomegalovirus viremia and disease in pediatric patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: An 8-year single-center experience in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus infection represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of viremia and disease due to cytomegalovirus and the risk factors in pediatric patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in our institution. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of patients under 19 years of age who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation due to any indication between 2012 and 2019. The analysis included the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus viremia or disease during post-transplant follow-up, evaluation of risk factors, and outcomes. The statistical analysis included univariate and multivariate analyses, and the cumulative incidence of cytomegalovirus viremia was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method using STATA 14 statistical software. RESULTS: A total of 182 transplants were included. At 100 days, the cumulative incidence of cytomegalovirus viremia was 70.5%, and that of cytomegalovirus disease was 4.7%. Overall survival at 2 years was 74%, and event-free survival was 64%. The remaining demographic characteristics were not predictors of infection. There was no association between viremia and relapse or survival of the patients. Higher mortality was noted in cytomegalovirus disease. CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, the incidence of cytomegalovirus disease was similar to that of other pediatric reports, but the incidence of viremia was higher. Pre-emptive therapy has diminished disease rates and death due to infection. Viral load cutoff points should be standardized to guide treatment and avoid myelotoxicity.

Tuberculosis musculoesquelética que imita neoplasia de tejidos blandos: A propósito de dos casos / Musculoskeletal Tuberculosis mimicking soft tissue neoplasms: report of two cases

Resumen La tuberculosis (TB) es una de las enfermedades infecciosas con mayor carga de morbimortalidad a nivel mundial,la presentación pulmonar es la forma más común, sin embargo, las manifestaciones extrapulmonares, especialmente las osteoarticulares, pueden ser difíciles de diagnosticar debido a sus síntomas inespecíficos sugestivos de otras entidades como neoplasias o enfermedades infiltrativas, lo que hace de su diagnóstico un reto clínico. Está enfermedad esta asociada a múltiples factores de riesgo como inmunosupresión, contacto cercano con pacientes con tuberculosis, hacinamiento, residir en zona endémica, entre otros. A continuación, se presentan dos casos de pacientes pediátricos sin compromiso inmune que cursaron con cuadros sugestivos de neoplasias musculoesqueleticas, con hallazgos imagenológicos congruentes, pero con estudios microbiológicos positivos para TB.

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the infectious diseases with the highest burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pulmonary presentation is the most common, however, extrapulmonary manifestations, especially osteoarticular, can be difficult to diagnose due to their nonspecific symptoms suggestive of other entities such as neoplasms or infiltrative diseases. Tuberculosis is also associated with multiple risk factors, especially immunosuppression, and among others, household contact with patients with tuberculosis or residing in an endemic area. We present two pediatric patients without immunecompromise, with clinical history suggestive of musculoskeletal neoplasms, with congruent imaging findings, but with positive microbiological studies for TB.

Caso probable de tifus murino con falla ventilatoria en una adolescente del área urbana de Cali, Colombia / Probable case of murine typhus with respiratory failure in an adolescent from the urban area of Cali, Colombia

El tifus murino es una enfermedad infecciosa de carácter zoonótico causada por Rickettsia typhi . Se presenta el caso de una paciente femenina de 13 años edad, procedente del área urbana de la ciudad de Cali, quien presentó un cuadro febril asociado a taquipnea y exantema maculopapular generalizado en tronco y extremidades. Durante las primeras 48 h en la UCI pediátrica desarrolló rápido deterioro clínico, fiebre persistente, aumento de reactantes de fase aguda, presencia de infiltrados pulmonares intersticiales bilaterales y derrame pleural, requiriendo ventilación mecánica no invasiva. Se inició tratamiento con doxiciclina frente a la sospecha de una posible infección por agentes rickettsiales. Veinticuatro horas más tarde la paciente presentó mejoría clínica, resolución del exantema y retiro de la ventilación no invasiva. Por medio de la prueba de inmunofluorescencia indirecta se evidenciaron títulos de 1:512 frente al grupo del tifus, constatando el diagnóstico probable de tifus murino.

Murine typhus is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Rickettsia typhi . We report a case of a 13-year old female patient from the urban area of the city of Cali, who presented with fever, associated with tachypnoea and generalised maculopapular exanthema on the trunk and limbs. During the first 48 h in the paediatric ICU, she rapidly deteriorated, with persistent fever, increased acute phase reactants, bilateral interstitial pulmonary infiltrates and pleural effusion requiring noninvasive ventilation. Treatment with doxycycline was initiated due to a suspected infection by rickettsial agents. Twenty-four hours later the patient presented clinical improvement and resolution of the exanthema, thus the non-invasive ventilation was withdrawn. By means of a indirect immunofluorescence test, titres of 1:512 were shown against the typhus group, leading to the probable diagnosis of murine typhus.