Clinical Manifestation of Eosinophilic Meningitis in Korean Children: A Single Institution's Experience

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and laboratory characteristics of eosinophilic meningitis in Severance Children's Hospital. METHODS: We examined 6,335 children under the age of 18 years old who had visited the tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, and had received cerebrospinal study results between January 2007 and July 2012. The medical records of the patients identified as eosinophilic meningitis were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Eosinophilic meningitis was diagnosed in 39 patients (0.6%). The mean age was 6 years (range 0-18 years) and the sex ratio was 1.3:1 (22 males and 17 females). The underlying diseases and past history were neurologic disease (n=36, 92%). Eosinophilic meningitis was diagnosed in thirty-five patients who had undergone postoperation neurosurgery (90%). The most common symptoms were fever (50%), headache (20%), vomiting (15%), seizure (10%), and dizziness (5%). The average duration for recovery was five days, and intravenous antibiotics or steroids were used. CONCLUSIONS: Manifestations of eosinophilic meningitis are similar to other types of meningitis. The most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis in children was neurosurgery. Eosinophilic meningitis should be considered for patients showing fever and headache after neurosurgery. Through careful investigation, use of improper antibiotics could be avoided.

Clinical Manifestation of Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Korean Children / 소아감염

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency, epidemiology and the clinical manifestation of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection in Korean children. METHODS: From February 2010 to January 2012, we collected nasopharyngeal aspiration from 1,554 children who were hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infections at the Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital. hMPV was detected by performing reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The medical records of the patients with positive results were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: We detected hMPV in 99 of the 1,554 hospitalized children. The mean age of the hMPV infected children was 25 months, and 87% of the illnesses occurred between April and June. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia (73%) and bronchiolitis (16%). The clinical manifestations included cough, fever, respiratory distress, hoarseness, tachypnea, and wheezing. Coinfection with other respiratory viruses was found in 43 children (43%). CONCLUSION: hMPV is one of the major virus causing acute respiratory tract infection in the age between 13 months and 48 months old with peaks during April to June. Reports of hMPV in Korea has been increasing but additional studies are required to define the epidemiology and the extent of disease caused by hMPV to determine future development of this illness in Korean children.

Two Children with Nontyphoidal Salmonellosis Assumed by Pets / 소아감염

Nontyphoidal Salmonella are gram negative bacilli organism, which may induce systemic infection such as febrile enteritis, bacteremia, and osteomyelitis. Main route of infection is known as food but also possible through reptile, amphibian, and fish raised as pets in the house. There is no known cases report of Salmonella infection through pets in Korea and also rare in the overseas. We report 2 patients who visited Severance children's hospital with chief complaint of fever and diagnosed as nontyphoidal salmonellosis. Each case had a history of raising turtle or tropical fish with possibility of Salmonella infection through these pets. Increasing incidence of raising pet reptile and fish lately, contact precaution and proper prevention and control of Salmonella infection of these pets especially in children under 5 years old are necessary due to higher risk of serious complications of salmonellosis.

A Case of Lung Involvement Associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can develop extra-articular manifestations, including growth retardation, osteopenia and chronic uveitis. However, pleuropulmonary involvement is rare. Approximately 40% of patients with JIA have abnormal pulmonary function tests without pulmonary symptoms, with the commonest abnormality in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity, but clinically evident pulmonary parenchymal disease in JIA is extremely uncommon. We describe a 15-year-old male with JIA who presented with dyspnea due to interstitial lung disease.

Relation between Kawasaki Disease and Immunoglobulin E

OBJECTIVE: Kawasaki disease is a systemic vascular disease which is caused by an immunologic response. The purpose of this study is to see how a high IgE level affects Kawasaki disease, in two groups of high IgE level and low IgE level. METHODS: A retrospective study was done from 2008 to 2010, among patients, who were admitted in Severance Children's Hospital for Kawasaki disease with IgE levels checked. Age groups with an IgE level above reference ranges and those with normal ranges were done. Also, clinical characteristics were analyzed. Statistical method was done by SPSS 18. RESULTS: A total of 198 Kawasaki patients were analyzed from 2008 to 2010. Among them 123 (62%) patients showed elevated IgE levels. Patients with high IgE had a significantly higher lymphadenopathy prevalence (p=0.006), however they had no connection with quantitative values. Patients with BCG site redness appeared to have lower IgE levels than patients without redness. Coronary complication had no relation with IgE levels. There was no correlation between laboratory results and IgE levels. CONCLUSION: 62% of Kawasaki disease patients show high IgE levels in our study. The symptoms of BCG site redness aged less than 1 year seemed to be related with IgE level. To understand the pathophysiology of Kawasaki disease, more studies should be performed on the role of IgE.

Relation between Kawasaki Disease and Immunoglobulin E

OBJECTIVE: Kawasaki disease is a systemic vascular disease which is caused by an immunologic response. The purpose of this study is to see how a high IgE level affects Kawasaki disease, in two groups of high IgE level and low IgE level. METHODS: A retrospective study was done from 2008 to 2010, among patients, who were admitted in Severance Children's Hospital for Kawasaki disease with IgE levels checked. Age groups with an IgE level above reference ranges and those with normal ranges were done. Also, clinical characteristics were analyzed. Statistical method was done by SPSS 18. RESULTS: A total of 198 Kawasaki patients were analyzed from 2008 to 2010. Among them 123 (62%) patients showed elevated IgE levels. Patients with high IgE had a significantly higher lymphadenopathy prevalence (p=0.006), however they had no connection with quantitative values. Patients with BCG site redness appeared to have lower IgE levels than patients without redness. Coronary complication had no relation with IgE levels. There was no correlation between laboratory results and IgE levels. CONCLUSION: 62% of Kawasaki disease patients show high IgE levels in our study. The symptoms of BCG site redness aged less than 1 year seemed to be related with IgE level. To understand the pathophysiology of Kawasaki disease, more studies should be performed on the role of IgE.

Enhanced detection and serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae using multiplex polymerase chain reaction / 소아과

PURPOSE: Methods for quick and reliable detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae are needed for the diagnosis of pneumococcal disease and vaccine studies. This study aimed to show that sequential multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more efficient than conventional culture in achieving S. pneumoniae-positive results. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal (NP) secretions were obtained from 842 pediatric patients admitted with lower respiratory infections at Severance Children's Hospital in Korea between March 2009 and June 2010. For identification and serotype determination of pneumococci from the NP secretions, the secretions were evaluated via multiplex PCR technique with 35 serotype-specific primers arranged in 8 multiplex PCR sets and conventional bacteriological culture technique. RESULTS: Among the results for 793 samples that underwent both bacterial culture and PCR analysis for pneumococcal detection, 153 (19.3%) results obtained by PCR and 81 (10.2%) results obtained by conventional culture technique were positive for S. pneumoniae. The predominant serotypes observed, in order of decreasing frequency, were 19A (23%), 6A/B (16%), 19F (11%), 15B/C (5%), 15A (5%), and 11A (4%); further, 26% of the isolates were non-typeable. CONCLUSION: As opposed to conventional bacteriological tests, PCR analysis can accurately and rapidly identify pneumococcal serotypes.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Human Bocavirus in Hospitalized Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Korea / 소아감염

PURPOSE: Human bocavirus (hBoV), a recently discovered virus, has been detected in children with respiratory tract infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency and molecular phylogeny of hBoV in the respiratory samples of children with acute respiratory tract infections in 2010. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from 953 children with lower respiratory tract infections at Severance children's hospital in Korea from January 2010 to December 2010. We applied the multiplex PCR technique for the identification of 12 respiratory viruses from the samples. Among the total specimens, hBoV positive samples were subjected to phylogenetic analysis by sequencing a fragment of the VP1/VP2 gene junction. RESULTS: hBoV was detected in 141 (14.8%) among 953 patients. The 61.7% of hBoV-positive samples were found to co-exist with other respiratory viruses. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that all 141 hBoV-positive isolates were identified as hBoV 1, revealing a high similarity among the isolates (>98%). CONCLUSION: hBoV 1 with minimal sequence variations circulated in children with acute respiratory infections during 2010. More research is needed to determine the clinical severity and outcomes of the minimal sequence variations.

A Nationwide Survey on the Child Day Care and Common Infectious Diseases / 소아감염

PURPOSE: As the number of children who attend child care centers has increased, concerns has increased about the effect of child day care on childhood illness. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between experience in child care and common infectious diseases in children under 5 years of age. METHODS: Data were collected by surveying 1,000 respondents with children under age 5 through online interviews using a structured questionnaire. The contents of the survey were composed of demographic characteristics, child care facilities usage, experience in infectious diseases, and immunization status. RESULTS: Among the 1,000 children <5 years of age, 78.5% attended a child care facility. Rates of common communicable illnesses were higher in children in child care than for children reared exclusively at home. The predominant communicable diseases which the respondents' children experienced, in order of decreasing frequency, were gastroenteritis (47.1%), otitis media (41.8%) and pneumonia (19.1%). The immunization rate of vaccines that are not included the national immunization program (NIP) (Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine - 76.6%, hepatitis A vaccine - 63.3%, pneumococcal vaccine - 59.4%, rotavirus vaccine - 43.1%) was lower than that of the NIP vaccines (90.4%). CONCLUSION: Children in child care experience more bouts of common infectious disease, so nationwide policies to prevent or to control the spread of infectious agents in a child-care should be available and appropriate immunization should be emphasized as the most effective method for the control of infectious disease for children.