Infectious Disease Commons^™

School Knowledge Of Infectious Diseases In Schools: Conducting Surveillance And On-Demand, Symptomatic Respiratory Viral Testing In A Large Pre-Kindergarten-12th Grade School District., Jennifer E. Schuster, Tamoor T Chohdry, Chris T. Young, Brian R. Lee, Dithi Banerjee, Anjana Sasidharan, Olivia M Almendares, Hannah L Kirking, Janelle Porter, Anila Deliu, Shannon Tilsworth, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer Goldman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Limited data about acute respiratory illness (ARI) and respiratory virus circulation are available in congregate community settings, specifically schools. To better characterize the epidemiology of ARI and respiratory viruses in schools, we developed School Knowledge of Infectious Diseases in Schools (School KIDS).

METHODS: School KIDS is a prospective, respiratory viral testing program in a large metropolitan school district (pre-kindergarten-12th grade) in Kansas City, Missouri. During the 2022-2023 school year, all students and staff were eligible to participate in surveillance respiratory viral testing at school by submitting observed self-administered nasal swabs monthly. Participants could also submit a nasal swab for …

Characterizing New Invasive Infections In Children’S Mercy Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation And And Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Patients, Samantha M. Davidson, Jay F. Rilinger, Jenna O. Miller, Caroline Holten, Josh Herigon

Research Days

This abstract characterizes the patients at Children's Mercy who developed a new serious bacterial infection while on extracorporeal support.

Seasonality, Clinical Characteristics, And Outcomes Of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease By Subtype Among Children Aged <5 Years: New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, 2016-2020., Ariana P. Toepfer, Justin Z. Amarin, Andrew J. Spieker, Laura S. Stewart, Mary Allen Staat, Elizabeth P. Schlaudecker, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Peter G. Szilagyi, Janet A. Englund, Eileen J. Klein, Marian G. Michaels, John V. Williams, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Christopher J. Harrison, Joana Y. Lively, Pedro A. Piedra, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Brian Rha, James Chappell, Meredith Mcmorrow, Heidi Moline, Natasha B. Halasa

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory illnesses in children. RSV can be broadly categorized into 2 major subtypes: A and B. RSV subtypes have been known to cocirculate with variability in different regions of the world. Clinical associations with viral subtype have been studied among children with conflicting findings such that no conclusive relationships between RSV subtype and severity have been established.

METHODS: During 2016-2020, children aged/guardian interviews, chart reviews, and collection of midturbinate nasal plus/minus throat swabs for RSV (RSV-A, RSV-B, and untyped) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: Among 6398 RSV-positive …

A Quality Improvement Project To Improve Antibiotic Choice For Children Admitted With Urinary Tract Infections (Utis), Philip Jurasinski Do, Pgy-3, Adrienne Deporre Md, Kathleen Berg Md, Allison Hadley Md, Viktoriya Stoycheva Mha, Rn, Cpn, Rana El Feghaly Md

Research Days

This is an antibiotic stewardship quality improvement project focused on improving antibiotic choices for children with urinary tract infections who are in the Children's Mercy Kansas City system. This project aims to improve the rates of cefazolin or cephalexin for treatment from 27% to 60%. 96% of urinary tract infections in our system are caused by E. Coli that are susceptible to these first generation cephalosporins.

Impact Of Nutritional Status And Placental Malaria Infection On Pregnancy Outcome In A Population Of Nigerian Maternal-Infant Dyads, Shirley F. Delair

Theses & Dissertations

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and accounts for one-quarter of the newborn mortality on the continent. Most newborn deaths are from prematurity (33%), infections (33%), and intrapartum complications (31%). Using an adapted analytical framework for the study of child survival in developing countries, this dissertation aimed to look at the pregnancy outcome of a population of Nigerian women and their offspring by looking at proximate determinants of health from nutritional status and environmental conditions. In Chapter 1, we characterized the micronutrients of the mother-infant dyads, looking specifically at concentrations of vitamin D and its metabolites. In Chapter …

Determinants Of Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents And Caregivers, Priya Srivastava

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

•Vaccination efforts in the United States and globally are one of the largest contributors to pediatric preventative health

•Routine immunizations in the U.S for children ≤ 10 years old cover 14 vaccine-preventable diseases. As a result, an estimated 732,000 deaths, 21 million hospitalizations, and 322 diagnosed cases of diseases have been prevented between 1993 and 2013.

•Vaccines remain a point of contention with pediatricians and their patients' caregivers

•Many parents maintain hesitancy to give vaccines; to a number of reasons. Perceived risk and fear of side effects from vaccines more than the disease itself, can cause out-of-proportion concern

•Misinformation spread …

Approach For Defining Human Adenovirus Infection And Disease For Central Review Adjudication In Clinical Studies., Brian T. Fisher, Jesse Blumenstock, Craig L K Boge, Sydney Shuster, Alix E. Seif, Michael Green, Marian G. Michaels, Jessie L. Alexander, Monica I. Ardura, Tamara P. Miller, Diego R. Hijano, William J. Muller, Jennifer E. Schuster, Abby M. Green, Daniel E. Dulek, Adriana E. Kajon, Lara Danziger-Isakov

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) recipients are at risk for morbidity and mortality from human adenovirus (HAdV). HAdV can be detected in an asymptomatic state, referred to as infection or with signs or symptoms of illness, referred to as disease. Standardized case definitions are needed to distinguish infection from disease and allow for consistent reporting in both observational cohort studies and therapeutic clinical trials.

METHODS: A working group of experts in virology, transplant infectious disease, and HCT was assembled to develop HAdV infection and disease definitions with the degree of certainty (i.e., possible, probable, and proven). Definitions were …

Durability Of Original Monovalent Mrna Vaccine Effectiveness Against Covid-19 Omicron-Associated Hospitalization In Children And Adolescents - United States, 2021-2023., Laura D. Zambrano, Margaret M. Newhams, Regina M. Simeone, Amanda B. Payne, Michael Wu, Amber O. Orzel-Lockwood, Natasha B. Halasa, Jemima M. Calixte, Pia S. Pannaraj, Kanokporn Mongkolrattanothai, Julie A Boom, Leila C Sahni, Satoshi Kamidani, Kathleen Chiotos, Melissa A Cameron, Aline B Maddux, Katherine Irby, Jennifer E. Schuster, Elizabeth H. Mack, Austin Biggs, Bria M. Coates, Kelly N. Michelson, Katherine E. Bline, Ryan A. Nofziger, Hillary Crandall, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Shira J. Gertz, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Tamara T. Bradford, Tracie C. Walker, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Mary Allen Staat, Samina S. Bhumbra, Janet R. Hume, Michele Kong, Melissa S. Stockwell, Thomas J. Connors, Melissa L. Cullimore, Heidi R. Flori, Emily R. Levy, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Matt S. Zinter, Mia Maamari, Cindy Bowens, Danielle M. Zerr, Judith A. Guzman-Cottrill, Ivan Gonzalez, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Pediatric COVID-19 vaccination is effective in preventing COVID-19-related hospitalization, but duration of protection of the original monovalent vaccine during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron predominance merits evaluation, particularly given low coverage with updated COVID-19 vaccines. During December 19, 2021-October 29, 2023, the Overcoming COVID-19 Network evaluated vaccine effectiveness (VE) of ≥2 original monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccine doses against COVID-19-related hospitalization and critical illness among U.S. children and adolescents aged 5-18 years, using a case-control design. Too few children and adolescents received bivalent or updated monovalent vaccines to separately evaluate their effectiveness. Most case-patients (persons with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result) were unvaccinated, despite …

Chronic Pneumonia In A 1-Year-Old Male, Saritha Beauchamp, Irene Chern, Emily Souder

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Antibiotic Treatment For Well-Appearing Infants Born At ≥35 Weeks’ Gestation To Mothers With Chorioamnionitis Before And After Implementation Of Neonatal Early-Onset Sepsis Calculator, Surichhya Bajracharya, Preetha Prazad, Catherine Bennett, Nahren Asado

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose

Our quality improvement study aimed to determine whether application of a neonatal early-onset sepsis calculator (NSC) among well-appearing infants born at ≥ 35 weeks’ gestation to mothers with chorioamnionitis decreases the number of lab evaluations (LEs) and antibiotic treatments (Abxs) without missing early-onset sepsis.

Methods

We compared 2 years (January 1, 2019–January 3, 2021) of data from a historical-control group before implementation of the NSC to 1 year (January 4, 2021–December 31, 2021) of data from a calculator group after implementation of the NSC to evaluate whether LE and Abx decreased following implementation of the NSC on January 4, …

Accuracy Of Influenza Icd-10 Diagnosis Codes In Identifying Influenza Illness In Children., James W. Antoon, Tess Stopczynski, Justin Z. Amarin, Laura S. Stewart, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Marian G. Michaels, John V. Williams, Janet A. Englund, Eileen J. Klein, Mary A. Staat, Elizabeth P. Schlaudecker, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer E. Schuster, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Peter G. Szilagyi, Ariana Perez, Heidi L. Moline, Andrew J. Spieker, Carlos G. Grijalva, Samantha M. Olson, Natasha B. Halasa

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

IMPORTANCE: Studies of influenza in children commonly rely on coded diagnoses, yet the ability of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes to identify influenza in the emergency department (ED) and hospital is highly variable. The accuracy of newer International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes to identify influenza in children is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of ICD-10 influenza discharge diagnosis codes in the pediatric ED and inpatient settings.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Children younger than 18 years presenting to the ED or inpatient settings with fever and/or respiratory symptoms at 7 …

The Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin Project: Elder And Community Led Resources Strengthen Aboriginal Voice For Skin Health, Bernadette M. Ricciardo, Jacinta Walton, Noel Nannup, Dale Tilbrook, Heather-Lynn Kessaris, Carol Michie, Brad Farrant, Roni Forrest, Annette Garlett, Joanne Hill, Larissa Jones, Natasha Kickett, Sally Smith, Delys Walton, Taleah Ugle, Nadia Rind, Richelle Douglas, Jodie Ingrey, Brenda Carter, Ainslie Poore, Ingrid Amgarth-Duff, Hannah Thomas, Prasad S. Kumarasinghe, Jonathan R. Carapetis, Asha C. Bowen

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

In partnership with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, the Elder-led co-designed Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin project is guided by principles of reciprocity, capacity building, respect, and community involvement. Through this work, the team of Elders, community members, clinicians and research staff have gained insight into the skin health needs of urban-living Aboriginal koolungar (children); and having identified a lack of targeted and culturally appropriate health literacy and health promotion resources on moorditj (strong) skin, prioritised development of community-created healthy skin resources. Community members self-appointed to Aboriginal Community Advisory Groups (CAG) on Whadjuk (Perth) …

Vaccine Hesitancy Among Youth Living With Hiv In Detroit, Madeline B. Simone

Medical Student Research Symposium

Vaccine hesitancy among youth with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was evaluated to determine if the pandemic affected vaccine acceptance. A retrospective chart review was conducted to analyze vaccine rates over a five-year (pre-post COVID) in one university-based clinic. Results indicated a variation in acceptance rates between vaccines, with the MenACWY, MenB, tetanus, and HPV having the highest acceptance rates and COVID-19 and annual flu vaccine having the lowest acceptance rates. Vaccine hesitancy did not correlate with HIV treatment hesitancy nor with aversion to needles. Negative messaging around vaccines from a variety of sources appeared to be the primary factor in …

The Utility Of Interventional Anesthesia, Kylie Daguio, Kiley Jackson, Samantha Boever, Andrew Chang, James Keane, Leonard B. Goldstein

SOMA Faculty Publications

no abstract

Notes From The Field: Reemergence Of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infections In Children And Adolescents After The Covid-19 Pandemic, United States, 2018-2024., Chris Edens, Benjamin R. Clopper, Jourdan Devies, Alvaro Benitez, Erin R. Mckeever, Dylan Johns, Bernard Wolff, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer E. Schuster, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Peter G. Szilagyi, Fatimah S. Dawood, Lakshmi Radhakrishnan, Christina Quigley, Leila C. Sahni, Natasha Halasa, Laura S. Stewart, Meredith L. Mcmorrow, Brett Whitaker, Danielle M. Zerr, Vasanthi Avadhanula, John V. Williams, Marian G. Michaels, Aaron Kite-Powell, Janet A. Englund, Mary Allen Staat, Kathleen Hartnett, Heidi L. Moline, Adam L. Cohen, Maureen Diaz

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Streptococcus Constellatus Bacteremia Secondary To Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis In A Neonate, Ronald G. Lott Iii, Samantha M. Lavertue, Xavier Zonna, Samuel Wlasowicz, Roland Zhang, Ravi Kavuda

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Common causes of bacteremia in the neonatal period include group B streptococcus, listeria, and E. coli. We report a rare case of neonatal bacteremia with culture-positive Streptococcus constellatus. Streptococcus constellatus is part of the normal flora of the orogenital regions of the body; when found elsewhere, it causes pyogenic abscesses in the brain and digestive tract. In this case, the Streptococcus constellatus bacteremia was secondary to prolonged hospitalization in a patient with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. This report serves to make physicians aware of and to define treatment options for Streptococcus constellatus as a rarely isolated organism that …

Assessing Pattern Of The Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (Pmis) In Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Experience From The Emergency Department Of Tertiary Care Center Of A Low-Middle-Income Country, Saleem Akhtar, Iqra Anis, Kumar Nirdosh, Muhammad Ihsan Tayyab Ihsan, Ahmed Raheem Buksh, Surraiya Bano

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS) is a hyperinflammatory condition affecting multiple organs in children, often resembling incomplete Kawasaki Disease during later phases of COVID-19 infection. Data on PMIS in low-middle-income countries, particularly in emergency department settings, is limited.
Objectives: This prospective observational study at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, aimed to determine the frequency, clinical presentation patterns, and laboratory parameters of children with PMIS visiting the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary objectives included assessing factors associated with in-hospital mortality.
Methods: From March 2020 to September 2021, patients meeting World Health Organization PMIS criteria were enrolled. COVID-19 testing …

Advancing Virtual At-Home Care For Community Health Center Patients Using Patient Self-Care Tools, Technology, And Education [Letter], Cheryl Modica, Joy H. Lewis, Curtis Bay

SOMA Faculty Publications

Abstract

Introduction

Health centers are community-based, patient directed primary care providers that offer accessible, high-quality primary care within medically underserved communities. Screening for cancer and managing complex chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and depression are vital services for the vulnerable populations seen by community health centers. Delivering care for complex chronic conditions and preventive services using virtual models that integrate self-care tools and technology is an important approach to increasing access for hard-to-reach patients served by health centers.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the use of a virtual care model, applied using a systems approach and patient-driven …

The Durability Of Antibody Responses Of Two Doses Of High-Dose Relative To Two Doses Of Standard-Dose Inactivated Influenza Vaccine In Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients: A Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial., Jennifer E. Schuster, Lubna Hamdan, Daniel E. Dulek, Carrie L. Kitko, Einas Batarseh, Zaid Haddadin, Laura S. Stewart, Anna Stahl, Molly Potter, Herdi Rahman, Spyros A. Kalams, Claire E. Bocchini, Elizabeth A. Moulton, Susan E. Coffin, Monica I. Ardura, Rachel L. Wattier, Gabriela Maron, Michael Grimley, Grant Paulsen, Christopher J. Harrison, Jason L. Freedman, Paul A. Carpenter, Janet A. Englund, Flor M. Munoz, Lara Danziger-Isakov, Andrew J. Spieker, Natasha B. Halasa, Pediatric Hct Flu Study

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Our previous study established a 2-dose regimen of high-dose trivalent influenza vaccine (HD-TIV) to be immunogenically superior compared to a 2-dose regimen of standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (SD-QIV) in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. However, the durability of immunogenicity and the role of time post-HCT at immunization as an effect modifier are unknown.

METHODS: This phase II, multi-center, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial compared HD-TIV to SD-QIV in children 3-17 years old who were 3-35 months post-allogeneic HCT, with each formulation administered twice, 28-42 days apart. Hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) titers were measured at baseline, 28-42 days following each …

Clarification Of Adverse Drug Reactions By A Pharmacovigilance Team Results In Increased Antibiotic Re-Prescribing At A Freestanding United States Children's Hospital., Keith Feldman, Sarah Suppes, Jennifer Goldman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Documentation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is a key factor in guiding future prescribing. However, incomplete documentation is common and often fails to distinguish implicated drugs as true allergies. This in turn leads to unnecessary avoidance of implicated drug classes and may result in sub-optimal prescribing. Pharmacovigilance (PV) programs utilize a systematic approach to clarify ADR documentation and are known to improve patient safety. Yet it remains unclear if PV alters prescribing. Or, if the existence of the ADR documentation itself continues to prompt avoidance of implicated drugs. To address this, our work presents a retrospective cohort study assessing if …

Sars-Cov-2 Epidemiology And Covid-19 Mrna Vaccine Effectiveness Among Infants And Children Aged 6 Months-4 Years - New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, July 2022-September 2023., Ayzsa Tannis, Janet A. Englund, Ariana Perez, Elizabeth J. Harker, Mary Allen Staat, Elizabeth P. Schlaudecker, Natasha B. Halasa, Laura S. Stewart, John V. Williams, Marian G. Michaels, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer E. Schuster, Leila C. Sahni, Julie A. Boom, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Peter G. Szilagyi, Benjamin R. Clopper, Yingtao Zhou, Meredith L. Mcmorrow, Eileen J. Klein, Heidi L. Moline

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

SARS-CoV-2 infection in young children is often mild or asymptomatic; however, some children are at risk for severe disease. Data describing the protective effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against COVID-19-associated emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization in this population are limited. Data from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, a prospective population-based surveillance system, were used to estimate vaccine effectiveness using a test-negative, case-control design and describe the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in infants and children aged 6 months-4 years during July 1, 2022-September 30, 2023. Among 7,434 children included, 5% received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, and 95% received a negative …

The Modified Clinical Progression Scale For Pediatric Patients: Evaluation As A Severity Metric And Outcome Measure In Severe Acute Viral Respiratory Illness., Shannon B. Leland, Steven J. Staffa, Margaret M. Newhams, Robinder G. Khemani, John C. Marshall, Cameron C. Young, Aline B. Maddux, Mark W. Hall, Scott L. Weiss, Adam J. Schwarz, Bria M. Coates, Ronald C. Sanders, Michele Kong, Neal J. Thomas, Ryan A. Nofziger, Melissa L. Cullimore, Natasha B. Halasa, Laura L. Loftis, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Jennifer E. Schuster, Heidi Flori, Shira J. Gertz, Janet R. Hume, Samantha M. Olson, Manish M. Patel, David Zurakowski, Adrienne G. Randolph, Pediatric Acute Lung And Sepsis Investigator’S Network Pediatric Intensive Care Influenza Study Group (Palisi Picflu) Investigators And Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: To develop, evaluate, and explore the use of a pediatric ordinal score as a potential clinical trial outcome metric in children hospitalized with acute hypoxic respiratory failure caused by viral respiratory infections.

DESIGN: We modified the World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale for pediatric patients (CPS-Ped) and assigned CPS-Ped at admission, days 2-4, 7, and 14. We identified predictors of clinical improvement (day 14 CPS-Ped ≤ 2 or a three-point decrease) using competing risks regression and compared clinical improvement to hospital length of stay (LOS) and ventilator-free days. We estimated sample sizes (80% power) to detect a 15% clinical …

Pharmacokinetics And Safety Of A Single Dose Of Telavancin In Pediatric Subjects 2-17 Years Of Age., John S. Bradley, Jennifer Goldman, Laura P. James, Byron Kaelin, Breanne H Y Gibson, Antonio Arrieta

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Antimicrobial resistance increases infection morbidity in both adults and children, necessitating the development of new therapeutic options. Telavancin, an antibiotic approved in the United States for certain bacterial infections in adults, has not been examined in pediatric patients. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the short-term safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of a single intravenous infusion of telavancin in pediatric patients. Single-dose safety and PK of 10 mg/kg telavancin was investigated in pediatric subjects >12 months to ≤17 years of age with known or suspected bacterial infection. Plasma was collected up to 24-h post-infusion and analyzed for concentrations of …

Building Up A Genomic Surveillance Platform For Sars-Cov-2 In The Middle Of A Pandemic: A True North-South Collaboration, Waqasuddin Khan, Furqan Kabir, Samiah Kanwar, Fatima Aziz, Sahrish Muneer, Adil Kalam, Mehdia Ali, Nadia Ansari, Fyezah Jehan, Muhammad Imran Nisar

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Next-generation sequencing technology has revolutionised pathogen surveillance over the last two decades. However, the benefits are not equitably distributed, with developing countries lagging far behind in acquiring the required technology and analytical capacity. Recent declines in the cost associated with sequencing-equipment and running consumables have created an opportunity for broader adoption. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid diagnostics development and DNA sequencing revolutionised the ability to diagnose and sequence SARS-CoV-2 rapidly. Socioeconomic inequalities substantially impact the ability to sequence SARS-CoV-2 strains and undermine a developing country's pandemic preparedness. Low- and middle-income countries face additional challenges in establishing, maintaining and expanding genomic …

Risk Factors For Health Impairments In Children After Hospitalization For Acute Covid-19 Or Mis-C., Aline B. Maddux, Cameron C. Young, Suden Kucukak, Laura D. Zambrano, Margaret M. Newhams, Caitlin K. Rollins, Natasha B. Halasa, Shira J. Gertz, Elizabeth H. Mack, Stephanie Schwartz, Michele Kong, Laura L. Loftis, Katherine Irby, Courtney M. Rowan, Keiko M. Tarquinio, Matt S. Zinter, Hillary Crandall, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Jennifer E. Schuster, Julie C. Fitzgerald, Mary A. Staat, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Ryan A. Nofziger, Steven Shein, Heidi Flori, Melissa L. Cullimore, Brandon M. Chatani, Emily R. Levy, Katri V. Typpo, Janet R. Hume, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for persistent impairments after pediatric hospitalization for acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

METHODS: Across 25 U.S. Overcoming COVID-19Network hospitals, we conducted a prospective cohort study of patients

RESULTS: Of 232 children with acute COVID-19, 71 (30.6%) had persistent symptoms and 50 (21.6%) had activity impairments at follow-up; for MIS-C (n = 241), 56 (23.2%) had persistent symptoms and 58 (24.1%) had activity impairments. In adjusted analyses of patients with acute COVID-19, receipt of mechanical ventilation was associated with persistent symptoms [aRR 1.83 …

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children (Mis-C): Is There A Relationship To Typhus?, Sravani Mannuru, Juliana Hager, Jacob Smith

Research Colloquium

The United Kingdom first reported in April 2020 a group of eight previously healthy children with a link to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that presented with systemic inflammation and multi-organ involvement, now named multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported over 1000 cases since the primary discovery as of October 2020 with 20 total deaths. [1] The clinical features of MIS-C have been previously compared to inflammatory syndromes including Kawasaki disease (KD) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS). We describe the clinical presentation and management for 3 pediatric cases with …

Comparison Of Bacterial Culture With Biofire® Filmarray® Multiplex Pcr Screening Of Archived Cerebrospinal Fluid Specimens From Children With Suspected Bacterial Meningitis In Nigeria, S Obaro, F Hassan-Hanga, N Medugu, Rasaq Olaosebikan, G Olanipekun, B Jibir, S Gambo, Theresa Ajose, Carissa Duru, B Ebruke, H D Davies

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis remains a challenge in most developing countries due to low yield from bacterial culture, widespread use of non-prescription antibiotics, and weak microbiology laboratories. The objective of this study was to compare the yield from standard bacterial culture with the multiplex nested PCR platform, the BioFire® FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel (BioFire ME Panel), for cases with suspected acute bacterial meningitis.

METHODS: Following Gram stain and bacterial culture on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected from children aged less than 5 years with a clinical suspicion of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) as defined by the WHO guidelines, residual CSF specimens …

Factors Associated With Respiratory Pathogen Panel Utilization In Children Hospitalized With Acute Respiratory Illness — New Vaccine Surveillance Network, Kansas City, 2017–2021, Edward Lyon, Brian R. Lee, Benjamin Clopper, Heidi L. Moline, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer Schuster

Posters

Background: Respiratory pathogen panels (RPP) are multiplex PCR platforms that detect several respiratory viruses from one specimen. For most children hospitalized with acute respiratory illness (ARI), management is supportive, and detection of a specific virus from RPP does not impact clinical care. Therefore, clinical RPP use is not standardized, and ordering is at the discretion of the clinician. We sought to understand factors associated with RPP utilization among pediatric patients hospitalized with ARI. Methods: From October 2017 to September 2021, participants < 18 years hospitalized with ARI were enrolled at a single site in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN). Eligible patients were residents of Jackson County, MO, had one or more ARI symptoms (e.g., cough, fever, nasal congestion) lasting < 14 days, and were enrolled within 48 hours of admission. Parent interviews and medical chart reviews were conducted. All participants had a research RPP, but results were not available to the clinical providers. Clinical providers were able to order a clinical RPP (cRPP), for which they received test results. Characteristics of NVSN enrollees hospitalized with ARI with and without a cRPP are described. Lastly, medical complexity was assessed via the pediatric complex chronic conditions classification system (CCC) then analyzed via chi- square test between groups. Findings: During the study period, 1,038 participants were enrolled, and 555 (53.4%) received a cRPP. Most, 299 (53%), cRPPs were ordered in the emergency department or urgent care before admission. Age was a significant factor associated with cRPP use (Table 1). cRPP participants were more likely to have complex chronic conditions, and/or technology dependence. No difference in cRPP use was observed by race/ethnicity, payer status, or sex. More participants were enrolled in 2020-2021, but the overall usage of cRPP is similar between years (Table 2). Conclusions: In this large cohort of children hospitalized with ARI, medical complexity, technological dependence, and age < 2 months were associated with increased utilization of cRPPs. Understanding the impact of cRPP on clinical care requires further investigation to better understand the utility of these tests.

Increasing Vaccination Rates Of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Among Patients At High-Risk For Invasive Pneumococcal Disease., Edward Lyon, Tracey Wetzel, Ann L. Wirtz, Douglas Swanson, Rachel Moran, Jessica Peters, Christine Symes, Liset Olarte, Rana El Feghaly

Posters

Introduction: Pneumococcal disease causes significant morbidity and mortality in children. Routine childhood immunizations protect for 13 or 15 pneumococcal serotypes via two pneumococcal conjugated vaccines. Patients with immunocompromising and chronic medical conditions are at high risk of invasive pneumococcal disease. A 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) is recommended in these patients to protect against more pneumococcal serotypes, but many patients have not received it. Our AIM is to increase PPSV23 vaccination rates among eligible patients in both the inpatient and outpatient infectious diseases (ID) settings from a baseline of 44% to 55% by October 2024. Methods: In collaboration with Children’s …

Pediatric Covid-19 Encephalitis, Nelson D. Gonzalez, Dustin Paul, Ana Almeda, Samuel Serna, Linette Linsangan

Research Symposium

Background: Neurologic complications of COVID-19 in the pediatric population have been reported in a limited number of reports. There have been reports of COVID-19-associated encephalitis in pediatric cases along with neuroimaging findings revealing involvement of some parts of the nervous system. We present the first case of pediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - associated encephalitis targeting the parietal lobes.

Case: A 14-year-old morbidly obese Hispanic male with no past medical history presented to the hospital for new onset seizures. Family reported exposure to his COVID-19 positive mother, a one-week history of fever, and a three-month history of …