Utility of direct fluorescent antibody testing of nasopharyngeal washes in children with and without respiratory tract illness.

BACKGROUND: Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) testing of nasopharyngeal wash specimens is a rapid and reliable means of diagnosing respiratory viral infection. The utility of DFA testing in the evaluation of febrile children without respiratory symptoms has not been critically evaluated. It is not known whether clinical or demographic factors apart from respiratory symptoms are associated with a positive DFA or whether a positive DFA is more likely to be associated with lower or upper respiratory tract symptoms (RTS). METHODS: This is a retrospective case-series of 756 consecutive nasopharyngeal specimens with respiratory DFA testing performed at the University of California San Francisco from November 1, 2002 through October 31, 2003. RESULTS: No RTS was a statistically significant predictor of negative DFA [odds ratio (OR), 0.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.004-0.2; P = 0.001] compared with lower RTS. Male subjects were more likely than female subjects to have a positive DFA (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1-2.8; P = 0.02). Specimens collected from April to October were less likely to have a positive DFA (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.7; P = 0.001). Specimens collected at the time of hospital admission and during a hospitalization were less likely to have a positive DFA (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.3-0.9; P = 0.01 and OR, 0.07; 95% CI 0.02-0.2; P = 0.001, respectively) compared with specimens collected in the outpatient setting. CONCLUSION: The yield of testing children without respiratory tract illness is extremely low.

Temporal trends in early clinical manifestations of perinatal HIV infection in a population-based cohort.

CONTEXT: The effect of early antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the early progression of perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is not well defined. OBJECTIVE: To examine early disease progression and survival in a population-based cohort with perinatal HIV infection in relation to year of birth and use of ART. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Retrospective study of temporal trends in early progression of perinatal HIV infection among 205 HIV-infected children in Northern California born between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 2001, and followed up through age 3 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of and age at progression to a first US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention category C diagnosis relative to year of birth, type of ART, and age at initiation of therapy. RESULTS: Of 205 children, 134 (65%) received ART and/or Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia prophylaxis. By age 3 years, 81 (40%) progressed to a category C diagnosis, 41 (51%) of whom died. Untreated children were significantly more likely to progress to a category C diagnosis (62% [44/71] untreated vs 28% [37/134] treated children, P<.001); none of 23 infants who received triple ART progressed to category C. However, even without triple ART, very early mono/dual ART (by age 2 months vs 3-4 months) was associated with delayed and decreased progression to category C (P = .02). Of 33 children born between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2001, only 7 (21%) progressed to category C (P = .02 compared with 1988-1995), 6 of 7 of whom received no therapy. More recent year of birth and more advanced therapy were associated with improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based cohort demonstrated decreased early HIV progression and improved survival at age 3 years, associated with more advanced therapy. Although limited by small sample size, the findings suggest that very early treatment, even without triple ART, was associated with improved outcome.