The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal

Background: No analyses have explored the differential clinical characteristics of cyclosporiasis compared with other diarrheal etiologies. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 118 children with diarrheal illnesses. Stool samples were analyzed using Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) staining and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the ssu rRNA gene. Positive PCR samples were sequenced to identify …

Background: Along with the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a hyperinflammatory multisystemic syndrome in children called PIMS appeared. Despite its close similarity to the Kawasaki disease (KD), the conclusion of PIMS being a distinct disease entity was reached quickly. Since then, research projects have been implemented to find differences and reliable distinction parameters wi…

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of childhood mortality, with diverse etiologies. This study aimed to generate region-specific data to inform treatment and vaccination strategies for childhood CAP. Methods: We enrolled 226 CAP cases and 201 controls (<5 years) at Dhaka Medical College & Hospital (March 2022–April 2023) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Blood and nasoph…

Neonates and young infants are at increased risk of invasive bacterial infection (IBI), defined as bloodstream infection (BSI) and/or bacterial meningitis (BM). Fever (rectal body temperature ≥38°C) may be the only presenting clinical symptom [fever without source (FWS)], and many of those infants are clinically well-appearing.1 Despite substantial variation in clinical management of infants belo…

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of hospitalization in children. The impact of viral factors like RSV subtype and viral load (VL) on disease severity remains unclear. Methods: We screened 1171 hospitalized children ≤3 years of age with respiratory symptoms in winter seasons (2017–2020) for RSV infection by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain reaction. Disease se…

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for approximately 2% of pediatric bone and joint infections globally, and with its wide range of virulence factors, can be challenging to manage. Contemporary descriptions are minimal, and optimal management is poorly described. This single-center review and literature review aims to characterize this further. Methods: Retrospective observational …

To the Editors: Streptococcus pyogenes is currently an uncommon cause of early onset neonatal sepsis; however, it can be associated with mortality rates of up to 61% in low- and middle-income countries.1 We present the case of a term newborn who was admitted at 2 hours of life to the neonatal intensive care unit of a secondary-level hospital due to respiratory distress, after an uncomplicated vag…

Background: From 2022 onwards, several countries, including the Netherlands, reported a marked increase in invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical presentation, disease course, treatment and outcomes of group A streptococcus (GAS) meningitis, a rare but severe manifestation of GAS infection in pediatric patients. Methods: Children with GAS me…

DA-HLH should be considered in pediatric patients with dengue who present with persistent fever, cytopenias, hepatic dysfunction and marked hyperferritinemia. In this exploratory analysis, elevated bilirubin appeared to reflect severe systemic and hepatic involvement rather than an independent prognostic factor, while viral coinfections may contribute to disease severity. Early recognition and in…

To the Editors: Group A streptococcus (GAS), also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, is an anaerobic, gram-positive beta-hemolytic bacterium that commonly colonizes the nasopharynx and skin.1 M proteins facilitate adhesion to the mucosal membrane, particularly the tonsils, facilitating epithelial invasion. GAS produces toxins, resulting in tissue damage and deeper infections due to immune complex f…

To the Editors: Rising maternal syphilis infections have led to a surge in congenital syphilis (CS), which causes severe and permanent health issues leading to substantial social and economic burdens compared with adult infection.1,2 However, the immunopathogenesis of CS, especially the role of neonatal immunity, remains unclear. Here, we report a case of a preterm infant with CS following incomp…

To the Editors: Signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 gain-of-function (STAT1 GOF) mutations are classically recognized through chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), reflecting impaired T helper (Th)17 differentiation and reduced interleukin (IL)-17-mediated antifungal immunity.1–3 However, increasing clinical experience demonstrates that the infectious phenotype extends beyond Ca…

To the Editors: We report the case of a 1.5-month-old full-term male infant, admitted with mild fever and diarrhea. Temperature rose from 37.5°C (day 0, D0) to 38.3°C (D1), with nonbloody, nondehydrating diarrhea and 1 vomiting episode. Clinical examination was unremarkable except for mild nasal congestion. Initial workup showed elevated C-reactive protein (CRP; 36 mg/L at D1, 119 mg/L at D2), no…

Our analysis confirmed a nosocomial outbreak and underscored the substantial intra-genotypic diversity of GII.4 Sydney 2012 [P16] genotype. These findings highlight the importance of rapid diagnosis, infection control measures and continuous genomic surveillance to track the evolution and global circulation of epidemic noroviruses.