Clinical Features of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Neonates: A Single Center Study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection during the neonatal period to provide information that is useful in clinical practice and suggest extension of the palivizumab administration. METHODS: Neonates admitted to the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital neonatal intensive care unit due to respiratory symptoms and for whom multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and multiplex real time-polymerase chain reaction tests were performed between October 2011 and May 2016 were included in this study. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and data was collected for 156 neonates. RESULTS: Among the 156 neonates, RSV was detected in 114 (73.1%), non-RSV in 25 (16%), and no virus in 17 (10.9%). The majority were full term infants (92.4%) and peak incidence of RSV infection was in January. Post-natal care center infection was more common in the RSV group (46.6%) than that in the other virus groups (24%, P=0.0243). Clinical symptoms were severe in the RSV group in contrast to that in the non-RSV or others groups. The RSV group frequently needed oxygen therapy (P=0.0001) and the duration of hospital stays were longer (P=0.0001). CONCLUSION: RSV is a significant cause of respiratory infection in neonates and the severity is higher in contrast to that with other viral causes of infection. Infants in post-natal care centers have a high-risk of developing RSV infections; therefore, palivizumab administration may be considered in this group to prevent hospitalization and reduce the duration of hospital stay.

Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage in a Two-Month-Old Infant with Inspissated Bile Syndrome

Inspissated bile syndrome (IBS) is a relatively rare condition. Many treatment options are available, including medication, surgery, and surgical interventions, such as insertion of cholecystostomy drain, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, internal biliary drainage, and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). We herein report the first case of IBS that was successfully treated with PTBD in a two-month-old infant in Korea. PTBD was initiated on postnatal day 72. On postnatal day 105, we confirmed complete improvement and successfully removed the catheters. This report suggests that PTBD is a viable and safe treatment option for obstructive jaundice in very young infants.