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Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics, treatment modalities and outcome of children with Kikuchi's disease.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among all children, histopathologically diagnosed with KFD.' Clinical, laboratory data and treatment outcomes were analysed.Results: During the study period, 53 children histopathologically confirmed as KFD were enrolled in the study. There were 36 males and 17 females. The lymph node involvements were mostly cervical with bilateral predisposition (63.5%), firm (88%), matted (30.8%) and tenderness (38.5%). Fever, headache, vomiting, chills, myalgia and rash were other common presentations other than cervical lymphadenopathy. The associated laboratory findings include anemia (71.2%), leukopenia especially lymphopenia (31.4%), monocytosis (21.6%), thrombocytopenia (16.3%), elevated CRP (53.1%), ESR (83.7%), LDH (100%) and elevated liver enzymes. Most of the children were managed conservatively (49.1%). Corticosteroids were administered for (22.6 %) of patients. Recurrence occurred in 4 children (7.5 %) and 13 children (24.5%) had other associated diseases.Conclusions: KFD should be suspected in well children with febrile cervical lymphadenopathy, especially with leukopenia, monocytosis, and elevated CRP, ESR, LDH, Liver enzymes. KFD in children can have rarely atypical presentations and coexist with other diseases.
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Objective: To compare scrub typhus meningitis with bacterial and tuberculous meningitis.Methods: Children aged<15 years admitted with meningitis were screened and those who fitcriteria for diagnosis of scrub typhus meningitis (n=48), bacterial meningitis (n=44) andtuberculous meningitis (n=31) were included for analysis. Clinical features, investigationsand outcomes were compared between the three types of meningitis. Results: Mean age,duration of fever at presentation, presence of headache and, altered sensorium and presenceof hepatomegaly/splenomegaly were statistically significantly different between the groups.Scrub typhus had statistically significant thrombocytopenia, shorter hospital stay and a betterneurological and mortality outcome. Conclusions: Sub-acute presentation of meningitis inolder age group children, and good outcome is associated with scrub typhus when comparedto bacterial and tuberculous meningitis
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We describe the pathogens and their antimicrobial profile causing blood stream infections in children over a 4-year period. The commonest pathogens were: non-fermenting Gram negative bacilli other than Pseudomonas, Salmonella species, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella species. High rates of drug-resistance were observed.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is one of the leading bacterial causes of invasive disease in populations without access to Hib conjugate vaccines (Hib-CV). India has recently decided to introduce Hib-CV into the routine immunization programme in selected States. Longitudinal data quantifying the burden of bacterial meningitis and the proportion of disease caused by various bacteria are needed to track the impact of Hib-CV once introduced. A hospital-based sentinel surveillance network was established at four places in the country and this study reports the results of this ongoing surveillance. Methods: Children aged 1 to 23 months with suspected bacterial meningitis were enrolled in Chennai, Lucknow, New Delhi, and Vellore between July 2008 and June 2010. All cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were tested using cytological, biochemical, and culture methods. Samples with abnormal CSF (≥10 WBC per μl) were tested by latex agglutination test for common paediatric bacterial meningitis pathogens. Results: A total of 708 patients with abnormal CSF were identified, 89 of whom had a bacterial pathogen confirmed. Hib accounted for the majority of bacteriologically confirmed cases, 62 (70%), while Streptococcus pneumoniae and group B Streptococcus were identified in 12 (13%) and seven (8%) cases, respectively. The other eight cases were a mix of other bacteria. The proportion of abnormal CSF and probable bacterial meningitis that was caused by Hib was 74 and 58 per cent lower at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, which had a 41 per cent coverage of Hib-CV among all suspected meningitis cases, compared to the combined average proportion at the other three centres where a coverage between 1 and 8 per cent was seen (P<0.001 and P= 0.05, respectively). Interpretation & conclusions: Hib was found to be the predominant cause of bacterial meningitis in young children in diverse geographic locations in India. Possible indications of herd immunity was seen at CMC compared to sites with low immunization coverage with Hib-CV. As Hib is the most common pathogen in bacterial meningitis, Hib-CV would have a large impact on bacterial meningitis in Indian children.