[The immunosuppressed traveler : vaccination guidelines]. / Voyageur immunosupprimé : recommandations vaccinales.

The number of immunosuppressed travelers has exponentially increased in the past few years. This is a positive development as these patients, owing to much improved management, are now in a condition allowing them to plan activities abroad comparable to healthy persons. However, pre-travel consultation and vaccinations are particularly important to reduce the risks and/or the complications of travel-related diseases. Although we already published a review on this topic in 2013, the recent increase of immunosuppressive agents available in Switzerland justifies this update.

Depuis quelques années, le nombre de voyageurs immunosupprimés ne fait qu'augmenter. Nous pouvons bien entendu nous en réjouir, puisque ces patients bénéficient de traitements efficaces qui leur permettent dorénavant d'envisager une vie et des activités comparables à un individu sain. Si nous voulons conserver ce bénéfice, il est nécessaire de préparer et vacciner au mieux ces patients afin de diminuer leurs risques de pathologies infectieuses liées au voyage ou à l'expatriation dans des zones tropicales. En 2013, nous avions déjà publié une revue sur le sujet, et une réactualisation semblait nécessaire au vu du nombre croissant de traitements immunosuppresseurs disponibles sur le marché suisse.

Attitudes of Swiss Health Care Providers Toward Childhood Immunizations.

BACKGROUND: INFOVAC is a network providing information about immunization issues to health professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of INFOVAC subscribers toward the current Swiss immunization schedule, potential modifications, and current and hypothetical immunization practices regarding their own children. METHODS: In March 2015, a Web-based survey was sent to 4260 physicians and pharmacists subscribed to INFOVAC. Participation was anonymous and voluntary. The following information was obtained: (1) current immunization status of own children; (2) which immunizations would currently be accepted for a hypothetical own child and (3) attitudes toward potential modifications of the Swiss immunization schedule. Descriptive methods and multivariate models to correct for covariables were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Nine hundred and fifty-five valid questionnaires were received: 886/3704 (23.9%) from physicians and 69/556 (12.4%) from pharmacists. Current (>95%) and hypothetical (>99%) immunization rates were high for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and measles-mumps-rubella. Most pediatricians (61%) would support more vaccines for their children than currently recommended by the Swiss immunization advisory committee, whereas about 50% of other physicians and pharmacists would decline at least one of the recommended immunizations, most frequently varicella, pneumococcal or meningococcal C conjugate vaccines. Strong general support was expressed for the expansion of human papillomavirus immunization to males, acceleration of the measles-mumps-rubella schedule and a 2 + 1 instead of 3 + 1 diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, acellular-inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (DTPa-IPV)/Haemophilus influenzae type b ± hepatitis B virus (HBV) schedule. CONCLUSIONS: Survey participants generally demonstrated a positive attitude toward immunization, with pediatricians being the most progressive subgroup with the largest percentage of participants (63.1%) neither declining nor postponing any recommended immunization.

Prolonged remission of juvenile-onset respiratory papillomatosis: a post-expositional role of the tetravalent anti-HPV vaccine?

Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP) is an HPV-related neoplasm affecting primarily the larynx. JORRP often requires repeated surgical debridement, which yield variable but generally moderate remission periods. We report the case of a 6-year-old boy with severe course JORRP since the age of 2, requiring tracheostomy, that underwent prolonged remission and was decannulated some months after administration of the HPV vaccine. The post-exposure use for the anti-HPV vaccine in JORRP is a topic of capital interest but still poorly characterized. Some published cases suggest a potential post-exposure role of the vaccine in JORRP, but prospective multicentric trials are still needed.

Neonatal treatment of CINCA syndrome.

UNLABELLED: Chronic Infantile Neurological Cutaneous Articular (CINCA) syndrome, also called Neonatal Onset Multisystem Inflammatory Disease (NOMID) is a chronic disease with early onset affecting mainly the central nervous system, bones and joints and may lead to permanent damage. We report two preterm infants with severe CINCA syndrome treated by anti-interleukin-1 in the neonatal period, although, so far, no experience with this treatment in infants younger than three months of age has been reported. A review of the literature was performed with focus on treatment and neonatal features of CINCA syndrome. CASE REPORT: Two cases suspected to have CINCA syndrome were put on treatment with anakinra in the early neonatal period due to severe clinical presentation. We observed a rapid and persistent decline of clinical signs and systemic inflammation and good drug tolerance. Diagnosis was confirmed in both cases by mutations in the NLRP3/CIAS1-gene coding for cryopyrin. As particular neonatal clinical signs polyhydramnios and endocardial overgrowth are to be mentioned. CONCLUSION: We strongly suggest that specific treatment targeting interleukin-1 activity should be started early. Being well tolerated, it can be introduced already in neonates presenting clinical signs of severe CINCA syndrome in order to rapidly control inflammation and to prevent life-long disability.

[Immunization for the immunosuppressed traveler]. / Vaccination chez le voyageur immunosupprimé.

With the increased number of international travelers and that of immunosuppressive therapies, it is usual to see immunosuppressed patients asking for advice before a trip exposing them to a certain risk of infectious diseases. The difficulty with vaccinating the immunosuppressed is twofold as risk as well as effectiveness has to be taken into account. Immune responses to vaccines are more effective if they are based on immunological memory. In other cases, antibody level determination may be useful to assess the potential for protection. Clinical cases are presented to illustrate difficulties faced by the general practitioner.

Intestinal spirochetosis mimicking inflammatory bowel disease in children.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal spirochetosis is an unusual infection in children and its clinical significance in humans is uncertain. The presence of these microorganisms in humans is well-known since the late 1800's and was first described in 1967 by Harland and Lee by electron microscopy. CASE PRESENTATION: This article reports the findings of one pediatric case, review of the current literature, and an overview of therapeutic options. CONCLUSION: A high degree of suspicion is required in cases presenting with abdominal pain, chronic diarrhoea and/or hematochezia associated with a normal endoscopic examination, thus emphasizing the importance of multiple biopsies throughout the colon.

Fever of unknown origin in a Swiss-born child: don't miss tuberculosis!

Tuberculosis incidence is low in Switzer land. We report here on a Swiss-born toddler. Tuberculosis manifested with a fever of unknown origin, mimicking an inflammatory or autoimmune disorder triggering a high dose of corticosteroid treatment. The disease went unrecognized for several weeks until development of a miliary tuberculosis with advanced central nervous system involvement. This case highlights the difficulties encountered in diagnosing tuberculosis and in identifying the origin of this case. It reminds us that this disease must never be forgotten when facing a child with persistent fever who must be screened for, before starting immunosuppressive therapy.

[Varicella during pregnancy: consequences for the mother and the newborn]. / Varicelle pendant la grossesse: quelles conséquences pour la mère et l'enfant?

In our area, varicella is a frequent and essentially benign childhood disease. In contrast, the disease course is likely to be more severe or complicated in the adult, particularly so in the pregnant woman. There is a definite risk of congenital varicella syndrome when the chickenpox occurs during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. This syndrome predominantly affects the skin, the subcutaneous tissue, muscles and bones, as well as the central nervous system, and can bring about major functional sequellae. In case of chickenpox occurring at the very end of pregnancy, transplacental transfer of the virus may result in a perinatal varicella disease. We propose a approach of each of these different situations.

Mycoplasma hominis necrotizing pleuropneumonia in a previously healthy adolescent.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma hominis is a fastidious micro-organism causing systemic infections in the neonate and genital infections in the adult. It can also be the cause of serious extra-genital infections, mainly in immunosuppressed or predisposed subjects. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of severe pneumonia and pericarditis due to Mycoplasma hominis in a previously healthy adolescent who did not respond to initial therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Mycoplasma hominis could be an underestimated cause of severe pneumonia in immunocompetent patients and should be particularly suspected in those not responding to standard therapy.

[Immunization guidelines regarding patients with a chronic disease]. / Recommandations de vaccination pour les patients atteints de maladie chronique.

Some chronic diseases--like renal failure, liver insufficiency, chronic lung disease, cardiac involvement, diabetes mellitus, asplenia--present limited defects of the immune system and/or a higher risk of infection; therefore, patients with such pathologies should get selective vaccinations. The efficacy of immunization decreases with disease progression; for this reason, these patients should be immunized as soon as possible. At the beginning of their disease, these patients do not need a specialized treatment and are followed by the general practitioner alone who is in charge of immunizing them as well as contact people of any immunocompromised patient. OFSP's regular vaccinations programme is recommended, as well as selective vaccinations against influenza, pneumococci and viral hepatitis, depending on the underlying chronic disease.

Evaluation of the compliance with recommended procedures in newborns exposed to HBsAg-positive mothers: a multicenter collaborative study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during birth carries a high risk for chronic HBV infection in infants with frequent subsequent development of chronic disease. This can be efficiently prevented by early immunization of exposed newborns. The purpose of this study was to determine the compliance with official recommendations for prevention of perinatal HBV transmission in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) exposed infants. METHODS: Records of pregnant women at 4 sites in Switzerland, admitted for delivery in 2005 and 2006, were screened for maternal HBsAg testing. In HBsAg-exposed infants, recommended procedures (postnatal active and passive immunization, completion of immunization series, and serological success control) were checked. RESULTS: Of 27,131 women tested for HBsAg, 194 (0.73%) were positive with 196 exposed neonates. Of these neonates, 143 (73%) were enrolled and 141 (99%) received simultaneous active and passive HBV immunization within 24 hours of birth. After discharge, the HBV immunization series was completed in 83%. Only 38% of children were tested for anti-HBs afterwards and protective antibody values (>100 U/L) were documented in 27% of the study cohort. No chronically infected child was identified. Analysis of hospital discharge letters revealed significant quality problems. CONCLUSIONS: Intensified efforts are needed to improve the currently suboptimal medical care in HBsAg-exposed infants. We propose standardized discharge letters, as well as reminders to primary care physicians with precise instructions on the need to complete the immunization series in HBsAg-exposed infants and to evaluate success by determination of anti-HBs antibodies after the last dose.

Interpretation of primary care physicians' attitude regarding rotavirus immunisation using diffusion of innovation theories.

To evaluate primary care physicians' attitude towards implementation of rotavirus (RV) immunisation into the Swiss immunisation schedule, an eight-question internet-based questionnaire was sent to the 3799 subscribers of InfoVac, a nationwide web-based expert network on immunisation issues, which reaches >95% of paediatricians and smaller proportions of other primary care physicians. Five demographic variables were also inquired. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses for the main outcome "acceptance of routine RV immunisation" and other variables were performed. Diffusion of innovation theory was used for data assessment. Nine-hundred seventy-seven questionnaires were returned (26%). Fifty percent of participants were paediatricians. Routine RV immunisation was supported by 146 participants (15%; so called early adopters), dismissed by 620 (64%), leaving 211 (21%) undecided. However, when asked whether they would recommend RV vaccination to parents if it were officially recommended by the federal authorities and reimbursed, 467 (48.5%; so called early majority) agreed to recommend RV immunisation. Multivariate analysis revealed that physicians who would immunise their own child (OR: 5.1; 95% CI: 4.1-6.3), hospital-based physicians (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1-2.3) and physicians from the French (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2-2.3) and Italian speaking areas of Switzerland (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.1-5.8) were more likely to support RV immunisation. Diffusion of innovation theory predicts a >80% implementation if approximately 50% of a given population support an innovation. Introduction of RV immunisation in Switzerland is likely to be successful, if (i) the federal authorities issue an official recommendation and (ii) costs are covered by basic health care insurance.

A multicenter, cross-sectional study on the prevalence and risk factors for nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus in patients admitted to children's hospitals in Switzerland.

The rate of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and associated risk factors were determined in a cross-sectional study involving Swiss children's hospitals. S. aureus was isolated in 562 of 1363 cases. In a stepwise multivariate analysis, the variables age, duration of antibiotic use, and hospitalization of a household member were independently associated with carriage of S. aureus.

Prevalence of nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in children a multicenter cross-sectional study.

In this cross-sectional multicenter study, we determined the rate of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in children admitted to 9 training hospitals in Switzerland during 1 month. From 1337 patients, 1363 nasal swabs were obtained (mean age 6.1 years, median 4.7 years, interquartile range 1.3-10.4 years) and 562 (41.3%) grew S. aureus. Only one isolate was MRSA (0.18%) which encoded mecA and femA genes as well as SCCmec type IV, whereas Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was absent.

Early appearance of bactericidal antibodies after polysaccharide challenge of toddlers primed with a group C meningococcal conjugate vaccine: what is its role in the maintenance of protection?

The contribution of memory responses after meningococcal vaccination to protection may depend on the rapidity of the response. Toddlers were challenged with a licensed polysaccharide (PS) vaccine 1 year after vaccination with a single dose of meningococcal group C-CRM(197) conjugate (MCC) vaccine at the age of 12 to 15 months. Bactericidal antibodies and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were measured before challenge and 4, 7, 14, or 21 Days later ("Days" refer to treatment groups, "days" to sampling days). Among 281 subjects in the intent-to-treat population, 173 per-protocol (PP) subjects were challenged with 10 microg PS antigen and 103 others with a 50-microg PS vaccinating dose. Capsular PS-specific ELISA IgG titers were negligible in baseline samples and increased only twofold within 4 days of PS administration. In contrast, the proportion of PP subjects with serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titers of >or=1:8 or >or=1:128 increased, respectively, from 41% and 16% before challenge to 84% and 74% at Day 4 and to 100% and 97% at Day 7. Recipients of 50 microg PS responded with similar kinetics but showed a trend toward higher antibody levels. Unexpectedly, 69% of subjects bled on days 2 to 3 already had achieved SBA titers of >or=1:8. The majority of toddlers previously immunized with MCC and challenged 1 year later with PS antigen mounted protective levels of bactericidal antibody within 2 to 4 days.

How do physicians immunize their own children? Differences among pediatricians and nonpediatricians.

CONTEXT: Immunization has an essential impact on public health worldwide. Numerous studies have shown the efficacy of different vaccines to protect individuals from various diseases. However, some parents choose not to vaccinate their children for reasons such as, among others, doubts regarding their usefulness, concerns over safety or efficacy, etc. Physicians are known to exert a direct influence on immunization rates by answering questions and clarifying misconceptions. Yet, it is unknown how they immunize their own children. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess how physicians interested in vaccination issues immunized, or would immunize, their own children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: An 11-question, Web-based survey with a total of 102 discrete answers was sent to 2070 Swiss physicians in October 2004. All physicians were subscribers to a nonprofit, Web-based expert network (InfoVac, www.infovac.ch) that distributes monthly newsletters and answers question within 2 days on immunization issues. The InfoVac network reaches > 95% of pediatricians in Switzerland but < 20% of general practitioners. All responses were anonymous, and no identifier could be used to trace the participants of the survey. Questions were divided into 2 parts: (1) physicians who were parents were asked which vaccines they gave to their own children and at what age, and (2) all physicians were asked which vaccines they would give to their own child and at what age if they had a newborn child in 2004. Vaccines available in Switzerland at the time of the survey were offered as possible replies, and recommended vaccines were considered as those noted in the Swiss federal immunization schedule issued yearly. One question compared their immunization practice between their own children and their patients. Sociodemographics, qualifying year, membership in different professional groups, and their type of practice were also requested. Statistics. Standard descriptive statistics were used for sociodemographic characteristics. Univariate statistical analyses were performed for each variable to determine its relationship to the dependent variable, being a pediatrician or nonpediatrician. Logistic-regression analysis was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), controlling for any statistically significant demographic variables that might function as confounders (gender, parenthood, workplace, year of diploma, and type of practice). For all statistical tests, differences were considered significant at P < .05. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: We performed a comparison of past and projected immunization rates in the children of pediatricians and nonpediatricians. RESULTS: One thousand seventeen valid questionnaires were received (response rate: 49.1%; pediatricians: 53.3%). Nine hundred fifteen physicians (90%) had > or = 1 child. All physicians reported immunizing children in their practice. Pediatricians were more likely to be women and to work in private practice than nonpediatricians but less likely to belong to a self-reported alternative medicine association. Among the nonpediatricians, 317 were general practitioners, 144 were internists, and 95 were other specialists. Ninety-two percent of pediatricians followed the official immunization recommendations for their own children. In contrast, after controlling for gender, workplace, type of practice, and year of diploma, nonpediatricians were more likely not to have immunized their children against measles, mumps, hepatitis B, or Haemophilus influenzae type b. They more frequently postponed diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) (OR: 4.5; 95% CI: 2.0-10.19) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination. Although projected immunization rates were higher than effective rates, 10% of nonpediatricians would still not follow the official immunization recommendations in 2004. They would more frequently refrain from using combination vaccines and postpone DTP and MMR immunization to later in life. Several comparisons confirmed the weaker use of the more recently licensed vaccines by nonpediatricians. In addition to vaccines currently recommended in Switzerland, both groups of physicians added hepatitis A, influenza, and varicella vaccines to the vaccination schedule of their own children. Pediatricians were more likely to give pneumococcal (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.004-4.68) and meningococcal C (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.62-3.17) vaccines to their own children. In contrast, they were less likely to give tick-borne encephalitis virus vaccine (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.44-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Ninety-three percent of the surveyed physicians agree with the current official vaccination recommendations and would apply them to their own children. However, the observation that 5% of nonpediatricians would not use Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine if they had a child born in 2004 is unexpected and concerning. In contrast, both groups gave additional vaccines than those recommended to their own children. Among physicians in Switzerland interested in immunization, a significant proportion of nonpediatricians decline or delay the immunization of their own children with the recommended MMR- or DTP-based combination vaccines, which indicates that clarification of misconceptions such as fear of "immune overload" has not yet reached important targets among health care providers who thus are unlikely to answer parental concerns adequately.

Percentage, bacterial etiology and antibiotic susceptibility of acute respiratory infection and pneumonia among children in rural Senegal.

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are still a major health problem in most developing countries. So far no study has evaluated the importance of childhood ARI in rural Senegal. We prospectively studied ARI, the percentage of pneumonia and related mortality, as well as the bacterial composition of nasopharyngeal flora using nasopharyngeal aspirates in 114 children, aged 2-59 months, presenting at Ndioum's pediatric ward. Excluded from the trial were those children that had had antimicrobial therapy in the previous 2 weeks. The Kirby-Bauer method was used to determine antibiotic resistance throughout the study. The percentage of ARI and pneumonia among the population tested was 24 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. Streptococcus pneumonia was often resistant to cotrimoxazole (31 per cent) but only 9 per cent were resistant to chloramphenicol and 14 per cent to penicillin. Haemophilus influenzae (HI) was uniformly sensitive to ampicillin, and only 4 per cent were resistant to chloramphenicol and 11 per cent to cotrimoxazole. We conclude that SP and HI resistance to cotrimoxazole is important and warrants larger clinical trials using chloramphenicol. Information campaigns and intense management of comorbidities are desirable in this type of population. Comorbidities (tuberculosis, malaria, HIV-AIDS, severe malnutrition) are determinant variables in many ARI cases and carry a high negative prognosis value.