Spectrum of COVID-19 Disease in Children: A Retrospective Analysis Comparing Wave 1 and Wave 2 from a Tertiary Hospital in South India

Objective To describe COVID-19 in children and the diferences between the two waves. Methods The electronic medical records of children younger than 16 y of age with laboratory-confrmed COVID-19 infection between June 1st 2020 and May 31st 2021 at Christian Medical College, Vellore were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected on a predesigned case record form and analyzed. Results A total of 988 children were diagnosed with confrmed COVID-19 during the study period. Of these, there were 585 children diagnosed during the 1st wave (June 2020–Feb 2021) and 403 children during the 2nd wave (March 2021–May 2021). It was found that loose stools and rash were signifcantly more frequent during the 1st wave and fever, cough, coryza, heart rate and temperature were signifcantly more during the 2nd wave. There was no signifcant diference between the two groups in terms of requirement of oxygen therapy, need for ICU admission, duration of ICU stay or hospital stay, or severity of illness. Mortality was signifcantly higher during the 2nd wave (0.3% vs. 2%). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic among children during the 1st and 2nd waves were similar in severity, though there was a higher mortality during the 2nd wave.

Clinicopathologic study of Kikuchi's disease in children in a tertiary hospital in South India

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.

Study of Common Illnesses Before and After Vaccination: A Risk-interval Approach.

Objective: To compare the proportion of children who developed a specified illness in the 7 day post-vaccination window, with the background rate of the same event in the 7 day pre-vaccination window. Study design: Risk interval approach (Self-controlled caseseries). Setting: Well Baby Clinic of Christian Medical College, Vellore. Participants: 1602 healthy infants and under-six children presenting for routine vaccination. Outcome measures: Episode of any illness. Methods: The interviewer enquired about any adverse event or illness experienced by the child for each day of the week preceding the administration of age-appropriate vaccines. A second interview (telephonic) was conducted by the same interviewer one week following vaccine administration to enquire about adverse event(s) experienced by the child for each day of the subsequent week using a similar protocol. Results: With multiple vaccines delivered at appropriate ages, common childhood illnesses that could be reported as adverse events following immunization, except fever (RR=5.7, 95% CI=4.50-7.35), occurred at higher rates pre-vaccination. Risk Ratios of fever following whole cell (RR=9.3, 95% CI=6.43-13.52) and acellular (RR=8.5, 95% CI=3.82-18.91) vaccines were similar, with both showing a decreasing trend with increasing age. The gastrointestinal adverse event profile [diarrhea (RR=0.6, 95% CI=0.14-2.51) and vomiting (RR=1.0, 95% CI=0.14-7.10)] for rotavirus vaccine was similar pre- and post-immunization. Conclusions: Since most adverse events to vaccines are also common childhood illnesses, estimating the background rates of common illnesses is important to accurately ascertain a causal relationship.

Disseminated protothecosis.

Here is presented, a rare case of disseminated protothecosis in a 10-year-old boy with combined immunodeficiency, hitherto unreported from India. Even though it is difficult to diagnose clinically,observation of the sporangiospores within the sporangium in culture gives the accurate laboratory identification of Prototheca spp. In this patient, failure to eradicate the infection with amphotericin B and recurrence with olecranon bursitis along with skin lesions and splenomegaly was observed. Disseminated protothecosis in a child with combined immunodeficiency and failure to eradicate the infection with amphotericin B is reported.

Caffey disease with raised immunoglobulin levels and thrombocytosis.

Infantile cortical hyperostosis (Caffey disease) is characterized by radiological evidence of cortical hyperostosis, soft tissue swellings, fever and irritability. We report a case of Caffey disease highlighting its presentation with thrombocytosis and high serum immunoglobulin level to alert physicians to use steroids cautiously in view of the known thrombocythemic effect of the drug. Raised Immunoglobulin also suggests that this syndrome could be infectious in origin.