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Children
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Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease
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Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2024) | Viewed by 9904

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Delia Ioana Horhat

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ENT Department, Faculty of Medicine, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 1, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: ENT; head and neck cancer; antitumorals; SARS-CoV-2; antimicrobial drugs; infectious diseases; multi drug resistance; sepsis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases refer to infections passed from person to person and are caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or helminths. Despite medical advances in regard to new treatment options and better access to healthcare, multidrug resistance is an ever-present issue.

Children have unique medical needs due to their immune system still being in development. As such, it is important to understand the unique signs, symptoms, treatments and outcomes associated with infectious diseases in pediatric patients. The WHO estimates that infectious diseases are the leading cause of death for children between 1 month and 9 years old, globally.

This Special Issue is intended to bring together original articles, reports, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, reviews and interesting cases that provide a view of the current state of infectious diseases in children. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Etiology and pathogenesis mechanisms of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections in children;
  • Epidemiology of infectious diseases in children;
  • Potential biomarkers and diagnostic tests for pediatric infections;
  • Treatment options and strategies in pediatric cases;
  • Antimicrobial stewardship for children in the era of multidrug resistance;
  • Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in regard to pediatric infectious diseases.

Dr. Delia Ioana Horhat
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pediatric
  • infectious diseases
  • bacterial infections
  • viral infections
  • fungal infections
  • parasites
  • multidrug resistance
  • therapeutic strategies
  • control of infections

Published Papers (6 papers)

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10 pages, 277 KiB  
Article
A High Copy Number from a Pharyngeal Swab Is Not Associated with Different Presenting Features in 100 Children with Acute Adenovirus Infection from a Cluster in Italy
by Anthea Mariani, Federica Cavallo, Saverio La Bella, Giusi Graziano, Martina Passarelli, Carlo Crescenzi, Daniela Trotta and Maurizio Aricò
Children 2023, 10(11), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10111788 - 6 Nov 2023
Viewed by 894
Abstract
Human mastadenoviruses, frequently denominated adenoviruses (HAdVs), may cause respiratory tract, gastrointestinal or, less frequently, other involvements. Epidemics of HAdV infections occur globally, in communities, and in closed or crowded settings. In our institution, a cluster of infants and children admitted for HAdV infection [...] Read more.
Human mastadenoviruses, frequently denominated adenoviruses (HAdVs), may cause respiratory tract, gastrointestinal or, less frequently, other involvements. Epidemics of HAdV infections occur globally, in communities, and in closed or crowded settings. In our institution, a cluster of infants and children admitted for HAdV infection was recently observed. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of their presenting features and investigate the possible correlation between the HAdV copy number and the clinical picture. Two main patterns of clinical presentation were observed: 68 patients had mainly respiratory symptoms (pharyngitis n = 67, cough n = 44; tonsillar exudate n = 17; other respiratory signs n = 4) while 26 patients showed prevalent gastrointestinal involvement (diarrhea n = 26, vomiting n = 8). Patients with respiratory symptoms had a significantly higher count of WBC, PMN, and platelets, while CRP level approached statistical significance (p = 0.07) for higher values in the patients with diarrhea. In order to explore the impact of selected presenting features, the possible association between the level of CRP and the presence of pharyngeal exudate, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, duration of fever, number of neutrophils, and administration of antibiotics was analyzed. Patients falling in the tertile with more elevated CRP values had tonsillar exudate and diarrhea significantly more often, while those in the lower tertile had a 4.4-day duration fever vs. ≥5.0 days in the remaining patients. Antibiotic therapy was administered more frequently to patients with higher values of CRP (p = 0.006). The duration of hospitalization was not associated with the CRP level. The median time from the receipt of a positive HAdV PCR test result to patient discharge was 1 day in 73% of cases. The number of copies of HAdV detected via PCR ranged between 47 million and 15/μL. Falling in the highest tertile of copy number was significantly associated with pharyngitis. The 24 patients with evidence of viral coinfection had no difference in the demographics or presenting features, with the only exception being a significantly higher leukocyte count. The rapid turn-around of the results of the molecular testing of the HAdV genome on a pharyngeal swab allowed us to rapidly diagnose HAdV infection, allowing us to stop antibiotic therapy and immediately discharge the patients, with reduced discomfort for the families and more appropriate use of hospital beds. A high copy number of HAdV from a pharyngeal swab should not be taken as an indicator of worse prognosis, thus allowing for the preferential use of qualitative rather than quantitative assay. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease)
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12 pages, 1280 KiB  
Article
Bayesian Analysis Used to Identify Clinical and Laboratory Variables Capable of Predicting Progression to Severe Dengue among Infected Pediatric Patients
by Josselin Corzo-Gómez, Susana Guzmán-Aquino, Cruz Vargas-De-León, Mauricio Megchún-Hernández and Alfredo Briones-Aranda
Children 2023, 10(9), 1508; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10091508 - 5 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1229
Abstract
The current contribution aimed to evaluate the capacity of the naive Bayes classifier to predict the progression of dengue fever to severe infection in children based on a defined set of clinical conditions and laboratory parameters. This case-control study was conducted by reviewing [...] Read more.
The current contribution aimed to evaluate the capacity of the naive Bayes classifier to predict the progression of dengue fever to severe infection in children based on a defined set of clinical conditions and laboratory parameters. This case-control study was conducted by reviewing patient files in two public hospitals in an endemic area in Mexico. All 99 qualifying files showed a confirmed diagnosis of dengue. The 32 cases consisted of patients who entered the intensive care unit, while the 67 control patients did not require intensive care. The naive Bayes classifier could identify factors predictive of severe dengue, evidenced by 78% sensitivity, 91% specificity, a positive predictive value of 8.7, a negative predictive value of 0.24, and a global yield of 0.69. The factors that exhibited the greatest predictive capacity in the model were seven clinical conditions (tachycardia, respiratory failure, cold hands and feet, capillary leak leading to the escape of blood plasma, dyspnea, and alterations in consciousness) and three laboratory parameters (hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia, and leukocytosis). Thus, the present model showed a predictive and adaptive capacity in a small pediatric population. It also identified attributes (i.e., hypoalbuminemia and hypoproteinemia) that may strengthen the WHO criteria for predicting progression to severe dengue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease)
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12 pages, 292 KiB  
Article
HIV Disclosure to Infected Children Involving Peers: A New Take on HIV Disclosure in the Democratic Republic of Congo
by Faustin Nd. Kitetele, Wenche Dageid, Gilbert M. Lelo, Cathy E. Akele, Patricia V. M. Lelo, Patricia L. Nyembo, Thorkild Tylleskär and Espérance Kashala-Abotnes
Children 2023, 10(7), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071092 - 21 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1278
Abstract
Appropriately informing HIV-infected children of their diagnosis is a real challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Until now, there is no consensus on who ought to disclose and how to disclose. This paper describes the model for HIV status disclosure in which HIV-positive children/adolescents are [...] Read more.
Appropriately informing HIV-infected children of their diagnosis is a real challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Until now, there is no consensus on who ought to disclose and how to disclose. This paper describes the model for HIV status disclosure in which HIV-positive children/adolescents are informed about their diagnosis in a process conducted by young peers under healthcare worker (HCW) supervision in a hospital in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. This new take on HIV status disclosure involving peers includes four stages that help the trained peer supporters to provide appropriate counseling, taking into account the age and level of maturity of the child/adolescent: the preliminary stage, the partial disclosure stage, the full disclosure stage, and the post-disclosure follow-up stage. Of all children/adolescents whose HIV status disclosure data were documented at Kalembelembe Pediatric Hospital (KLLPH) between 2004 and 2016, we found that disclosure by peers was highly accepted by parents, children/adolescents, and health workers. Compared to children/adolescents disclosed to by HCWs or parents, children/adolescents disclosed to by peers had (a) fewer depressive symptoms reported, (b) better drug adherence resulting in higher viral load suppression, and (c) a higher proportion of survivors on treatment. We found that involving peers in the disclosure process of HIV is an important approach to ensure adherence to treatment, resilience, and mental wellbeing of HIV-infected children/adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease)
14 pages, 1326 KiB  
Article
Home-Based Exercise Training in the Recovery of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Case Series Study
by Camilla Astley, Gabriela Nunes Leal, Saulo Gil, Priscila Suguita, Thais Fink, Vera Bain, Maria Fernanda Badue Pereira, Heloisa Helena Marques, Sofia Sieczkowska, Danilo Prado, Marcos Santos Lima, Camila G. Carneiro, Carlos Alberto Buchpiguel, Clovis Artur Silva and Bruno Gualano
Children 2023, 10(5), 889; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050889 - 16 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1441
Abstract
Objective: To assess the potential therapeutic role of exercise on health-related quality of life, assessed by the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), coronary flow reserve (CFR), cardiac function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers in multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children [...] Read more.
Objective: To assess the potential therapeutic role of exercise on health-related quality of life, assessed by the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), coronary flow reserve (CFR), cardiac function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers in multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) patients. Methods: This is a case series study of a 12-wk, home-based exercise intervention in children and adolescents after MIS-C diagnosis. From 16 MIS-C patients followed at our clinic, 6 were included (age: 7–16 years; 3 females). Three of them withdrew before the intervention and served as controls. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life, assessed PODCI. Secondary outcomes were CFR assessed by 13N-ammonia PET-CT imaging, cardiac function by echocardiography, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers. Results: In general, patients showed poor health-related quality of life, which seemed to be improved with exercise. Additionally, exercised patients showed improvements in coronary flow reserve, cardiac function, and aerobic conditioning. Non-exercised patients exhibited a slower pattern of recovery, particularly in relation to health-related quality of life and aerobic conditioning. Conclusions: Our results suggest that exercise may play a therapeutic role in the treatment of post-discharge MIS-C patients. As our design does not allow inferring causality, randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease)
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18 pages, 2502 KiB  
Systematic Review
Seroprevalence of Dengue and Chikungunya Virus Infections in Children Living in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Neema Kayange, Duncan K Hau, Kevin Pain, Stephen E Mshana, Robert Peck, Stephan Gehring, Britta Groendahl, Philip Koliopoulos, Baraka Revocatus, Evarist B Msaki and Ombeva Malande
Children 2023, 10(10), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10101662 - 7 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1861
Abstract
Dengue and chikungunya viruses are frequent causes of malarial-like febrile illness in children. The rapid increase in virus transmission by mosquitoes is a global health concern. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the childhood prevalence of dengue and chikungunya in [...] Read more.
Dengue and chikungunya viruses are frequent causes of malarial-like febrile illness in children. The rapid increase in virus transmission by mosquitoes is a global health concern. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the childhood prevalence of dengue and chikungunya in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane Library (Wiley) databases was conducted on 28 June 2019, and updated on 12 February 2022. The search strategy was designed to retrieve all articles pertaining to arboviruses in SSA children using both controlled vocabulary and keywords. The pooled (weighted) proportion of dengue and chikungunya was estimated using a random effect model. The overall pooled prevalence of dengue and chikungunya in SSA children was estimated to be 16% and 7%, respectively. Prevalence was slightly lower during the period 2010–2020 compared to 2000–2009. The study design varied depending on the healthcare facility reporting the disease outbreak. Importantly, laboratory methods used to detect arbovirus infections differed. The present review documents the prevalence of dengue and chikungunya in pediatric patients throughout SSA. The results provide unprecedented insight into the transmission of dengue and chikungunya viruses among these children and highlight the need for enhanced surveillance and controlled methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease)
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10 pages, 2488 KiB  
Case Report
A 5-Year-Old Child with a Deep Neck Abscess Complicated by Laryngeal Obstruction
by Armando Di Ludovico, Massimiliano Raso, Paola Di Filippo, Sabrina Di Pillo, Roberta Zappacosta, Giustino Parruti, Pasquale Zingariello, Francesco Chiarelli and Marina Attanasi
Children 2023, 10(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010017 - 22 Dec 2022
Viewed by 2459
Abstract
Deep neck space infections (DNSI) are defined as infections in the potential spaces and fascial planes of the neck. We show the clinical case of a retro and para-pharyngeal abscess in a healthy 5-year-old child complicated by compression and dislocation of the larynx [...] Read more.
Deep neck space infections (DNSI) are defined as infections in the potential spaces and fascial planes of the neck. We show the clinical case of a retro and para-pharyngeal abscess in a healthy 5-year-old child complicated by compression and dislocation of the larynx with marked airway caliber reduction and potentially fatal extension up to the mediastinal aditus. DNSI can occur at any age and, due to its rapid progression, requires immediate treatment in children. In healthy children, concurrent abscesses in separate neck spaces are rare. DNSI recurrence should alert the physician to the possibility of a congenital problem, and if imaging fails, laryngoscopy may be the best diagnostic technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Pediatric Infectious Disease)
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