Infección congénita por citomegalovirus en neonatos muy bajo peso / Congenital cytomegalovirus infection in very low birth weight neonates

Introducción: La infección congénita por el citomegalovirus en neonatos menores de 1500 gramos puede ser causa de morbilidad, mortalidad y discapacidad. Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento de la infección congénita por citomegalovirus en un servicio de neonatología. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal con 61 neonatos. Se les realizó detección de citomegalovirus en la primera semana de vida en suero y orina, mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa, para determinar infección congénita. Se evaluaron variables perinatales en todos los neonatos, así como elementos clínicos y resultados de exámenes complementarios en los infectados. Resultados: La incidencia de infección congénita fue de un 10 por ciento (6/61). El 5 por ciento de los estudios fueron positivos (6/122). Ninguna muestra de orina resultó positiva (0/61) y en el 10 por ciento de las muestras de suero (6/61) se detectó el genoma del virus. Se encontró asociación entre valoración nutricional al nacer e infección por citomegalovirus (p< 0,05). El 83 por ciento de los neonatos infectados presentaron algún signo clínico y el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria fue el más frecuente (67 por ciento). En todos los neonatos con infección congénita el ultrasonido cerebral fue normal y en el 33 por ciento se detectó retinopatía de la prematuridad en el fondo de ojo. Conclusiones: La incidencia de infección congénita por citomegalovirus es alta en este grupo de riesgo. Los signos clínicos encontrados y los resultados del fondo de ojo en neonatos con infección congénita se relacionaron con la prematuridad y la valoración nutricional de hipotrófico se asoció con esta infección(AU)

Introduction: Congenital cytomegalovirus infection in neonates weighing less than 1500 grams can be a cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability. Objective: To describe the behavior of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in a neonatal service. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 61 neonates. Cytomegalovirus was detected in the first week of life in serum and urine, by polymerase chain reaction, to determine congenital infection. Perinatal variables were evaluated in all neonates, as well as clinical elements and results of complementary examinations in infected infants. Results: The incidence of congenital infection was 10 percent (6/61). 5 percent of the studies were positive (6/122). No urine samples were positive (0/61) and the virus genome was detected in 10 percent of serum samples (6/61). An association was found between nutritional assessment at birth and cytomegalovirus infection (p < 0.05). A total of 83 percent of infected neonates had some clinical sign, with respiratory distress syndrome being the most common (67 percent). In all neonates with congenital infection, brain ultrasound was normal, and retinopathy of prematurity was detected in 33 percent of patients with fundus retinopathy. Conclusions: The incidence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection is high in this risk group. The clinical signs found and the results of the fundus in neonates with congenital infection were related to prematurity and the nutritional assessment of hypotrophic was associated with this infection(AU)

Botulismo del lactante: estudio descriptivo en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos / Infant botulism: a descriptive study in a pediatric intensive care unit

Introducción. El botulismo del lactante (BL) es la forma más frecuente de botulismo humano en Argentina. El objetivo es describir aspectos esenciales del diagnóstico y tratamiento de pacientes con BL internados en el servicio de terapia intensiva pediátrica (STIP). Métodos. Estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo. Se utilizó la base de datos del STIP con diagnóstico de BL en el período 2005-2020. Se registraron variables demográficas, métodos de diagnóstico, días de asistencia respiratoria mecánica convencional (ARMC), de ventilación no invasiva (VNI), estadía en STIP, mortalidad al alta hospitalaria. Resultados. Se registraron 21 pacientes con BL; 14 pacientes fueron varones, con una mediana de edad de 5 meses (RIC 2-6 m). El diagnóstico se realizó mediante técnica de bioensayo y se detectó la toxina en suero en 12 pacientes. Uno solo no requirió ARMC; 1 paciente fue traqueostomizado; 18 pacientes recibieron antibióticos; 5 recibieron VNI. Ningún paciente recibió antitoxina y no hubo fallecidos. La mediana de estadía hospitalaria fue 66 días (RI: 42-76); de internación en STIP, 48 días (RI: 29-78); y de ARMC, 37 días (RI: 26-64). La demora en la confirmación diagnóstica fue 15,8 ± 4,8 días. Conclusiones. La totalidad de los pacientes fueron diagnosticados con la técnica de bioensayo, que generó un tiempo de demora diagnóstica que excede los lapsos recomendados para la administración del tratamiento específico. Ningún paciente recibió tratamiento específico. El BL presentó baja mortalidad, pero tiempos de ARM e internación prolongados, que se asocian a infecciones sobreagregadas y uso frecuente de antibióticos.

Introduction. Infant botulism (IB) is the most common form of human botulism in Argentina. Our objective was to describe the main aspects of diagnosis and management of patients with IB admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods. Observational, descriptive, and retrospective study. The PICU database with IB diagnosis in 2005­2020 period was used. Demographic variables, diagnostic methods, days of conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV), non-invasive ventilation (NIV), length of stay in the PICU and mortality upon hospital discharge were recorded. Results. In total, 21 patients with IB were recorded; 14 were male, their median age was 5 months (IQR: 2­6 m). Diagnosis was made by bioassay, and the toxin was identified in the serum of 12 patients. Only 1 patient did not require CMV; 1 patient had a tracheostomy; 18 patients received antibiotics; 5 received NIV. No patient was administered antitoxin and no patient died. The median length of stay in the hospital was 66 days (IQR: 42­76); in the PICU, 48 days (IQR: 29­78); and the median use of CMV, 37 days (IQR: 26­64). The delay until diagnostic confirmation was 15.8 ± 4.8 days. Conclusions. All patients were diagnosed using the bioassay technique, which resulted in a diagnostic delay that exceeds the recommended period for the administration of a specific treatment. No patient received a specific treatment. IB was related to a low mortality, but also to prolonged use of MV and length of hospital stay, which were associated with cross infections and frequent antibiotic use.

Hemophagocytic syndrome in a patient with Fanconi anemia and VACTERL association / Síndrome hemofagocítica em paciente com anemia de Fanconi e associação VACTERL

INTRODUCTION: Hemophagocytic syndrome results from hyperactivity of histiocytes and lymphocytes, triggered by infections, mainly viral by cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr and herpes. Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disease with heterogeneous symptoms common to other diseases such as VACTERL, a disease of unknown etiology in which there are several congenital malformations. The concomitance of Fanconi and VACTERL anemia occurs in 5 to 30% of FA patients. REPORT: A 14-month-old male infant was admitted to investigate fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and granulopenia. The patient was diagnosed with hemophagocytic syndrome due to hyperferritinemia, bone marrow hemophagocytosis, transaminase elevation, decreased fibrinogen, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection confirmed by serology and PCR. The test with mitomycin C (MMC) showed chromosomal fragility. The patient was diagnosed with a VACTERL/FA association for having a clinic and a test compatible with both FA and VACTERL. CONCLUSION: The VACTERL/FA association is seldom described, but is present in pediatric medical practice. This study presented the main clinical-laboratory aspects and reviewed the main aspects of the concurrence of this pathology.

INTRODUÇÃO: A síndrome hemofagocítica decorre da hiperatividade de histiócitos e linfócitos e é desencadeada por infeções, principalmente virais por citomegalovírus, Epstein-barr e herpes. A anemia de Fanconi (AF) é uma doença genética rara com sintomas heterogêneos em comum a outras doenças como a associação VACTERL, uma doença de etiologia desconhecida na qual existe diversas mal formações congênitas. A concomitância da anemia de Fanconi e VACTERL é descrita em 5 a 30% dos pacientes AF. RELATO: Lactente de 14 meses, sexo masculino, admitido para investigar um quadro de febre, hepatoesplenomegalia e granulopenia. Os exames laboratoriais mostraram a hiperferritemia, elevação da transaminases, medula óssea com hemofagocitose e, sorologia e PCR positivos para citomegalovírus (CMV). O paciente foi diagnosticado com síndrome hemofagocítica por citomegalovírus. Como havia também hipoplasia do polegar esquerdo, presença de hemivértebra, agenesia renal e teste positivo de fragilidades cromossômicas com mitomicina C (MMC), o paciente foi diagnosticado com associação VACTERL/AF. CONCLUSÃO: O citomegalovírus quando infecta pacientes com problemas de imunidade como AF, apresenta risco de desencadear a síndrome hemofagocítica. A associação VACTERL/AF é pouco descrita, mas presente na prática médica da pediatria. Esse estudo descreveu os principais aspectos clínicos-laboratoriais e revisou os aspectos fundamenais descritos sobre a concomitância dessas patologias.

Clinical analysis of the usefulness of letermovir for prevention of cytomegalovirus infection after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and safety of letermovir in primary prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in patients receiving haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Methods: This retrospective, cohort study was conducted using data of patients who underwent haploidentical transplantation at Peking University Institute of Hematology and received letermovir for primary prophylaxis between May 1, 2022 and August 30, 2022. The inclusion criteria of the letermovir group were as follows: letermovir initiation within 30 days after transplantation and continuation for≥90 days after transplantation. Patients who underwent haploidentical transplantation within the same time period but did not receive letermovir prophylaxis were selected in a 1∶4 ratio as controls. The main outcomes were the incidence of CMV infection and CMV disease after transplantation as well as the possible effects of letermovir on acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD), non-relapse mortality (NRM), and bone marrow suppression. Categorical variables were analyzed by chi-square test, and continuous variables were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for evaluating incidence differences. Results: Seventeen patients were included in the letermovir prophylaxis group. The median patient age in the letermovir group was significantly greater than that in the control group (43 yr vs. 15 yr; Z=-4.28, P<0.001). The two groups showed no significant difference in sex distribution and primary diseases, etc. (all P>0.05). The proportion of CMV-seronegative donors was significantly higher in the letermovir prophylaxis group in comparison with the control group (8/17 vs. 0/68, χ2=35.32, P<0.001). Three out of the 17 patients in the letermovir group experienced CMV reactivation, which was significantly lower than the incidence of CMV reactivation in the control group (3/17 vs. 40/68, χ2=9.23, P=0.002), and no CMV disease development observed in the letermovir group. Letermovir showed no significant effects on platelet engraftment (P=0.105), aGVHD (P=0.348), and 100-day NRM (P=0.474). Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that letermovir may effectively reduce the incidence of CMV infection after haploidentical transplantation without influencing aGVHD, NRM, and bone marrow suppression. Prospective randomized controlled studies are required to further verify these findings.

Clinical Study of Cytomegalovirus Infection after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the risk factors of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and refractory CMV infection (RCI) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and their influences on survival.@*METHODS@#A total of 246 patients who received allo-HSCT from 2015 to 2020 were divided into CMV group (n=67) and non-CMV group (n=179) according to whether they had CMV infection. Patients with CMV infection were further divided into RCI group (n=18) and non-RCI group (n=49) according to whether they had RCI. The risk factors of CMV infection and RCI were analyzed, and the diagnostic significance of Logistics regression model was verified by ROC curve. The differences of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between groups and the risk factors affecting OS were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#For patients with CMV infection, the median time of the first CMV infection was 48(7-183) days after allo-HSCT, and the median duration was 21 (7-158) days. Older age, EB viremia and gradeⅡ-Ⅳacute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) significantly increased the risk of CMV infection (P=0.032, <0.001 and 0.037, respectively). Risk factors for RCI were EB viremia and the peak value of CMV-DNA at diagnosis≥1×104 copies/ml (P=0.039 and 0.006, respectively). White blood cell (WBC)≥4×109/L at 14 days after transplantation was a protective factor for CMV infection and RCI (P=0.013 and 0.014, respectively). The OS rate in CMV group was significantly lower than that in non-CMV group (P=0.033), and also significantly lower in RCI group than that in non-RCI group (P=0.043). Hematopoietic reconstruction was a favorable factor for OS (P<0.001), whereas CMV-DNA≥1.0×104 copies/ml within 60 days after transplantation was a risk factor for OS (P=0.005).@*CONCLUSION@#The late recovery of WBC and the combination of EB viremia after transplantation are common risk factors for CMV infection and RCI. CMV-DNA load of 1×104 copies/ml is an important threshold, higher than which is associated with higher RCI and lower OS risk.

Síndrome de Evans asociada a infección por citomegalovirus en una niña de 13 meses / Evans Syndrome Associated With Cytomegalovirus Infection In A 13-Month-Old Girl

Introducción: El síndrome de Evans es un desorden autoinmune poco frecuente, caracterizado por el descenso de al menos dos líneas celulares hemáticas. Las publicaciones del síndrome de Evans e infección por citomegalovirus resultan escasas. Objetivo: Examinar el caso de una niña con síndrome de Evans e infección activa por citomegalovirus que respondió favorablemente a la terapia antiviral. Presentación del caso: Niña de 13 meses con antecedentes de prematuridad y bajo peso al nacer, que acudió a consulta por presentar palidez y equimosis en tórax, abdomen y extremidades. En los exámenes de laboratorio se encontró trombocitopenia y anemia severa con prueba de Coombs directo positiva. Recibió pulsos de metilprednisolona con respuesta desfavorable. La carga viral resultó positiva para citomegalovirus (4019 copias de ADN) y recibió valganciclovir con evolución favorable en el seguimiento. Conclusiones: El síndrome de Evans asociado a infección por CMV es infrecuente. El tratamiento con valganciclovir podría ser beneficioso para cierto grupo de pacientes; sin embargo, hacen falta más estudios que demuestren la eficacia y seguridad de este tratamiento en este síndrome; más aún si está asociado a una elevada carga viral(AU)

Introduction: Evans syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder, characterized by the descent of at least two blood cell lines. Publications of Evans syndrome and cytomegalovirus infection are scarce. Objective: To examine the case of a girl with Evans syndrome and active cytomegalovirus infection who responded favorably to antiviral therapy. Case presentation: A 13-month-old girl with a history of prematurity and low birth weight, who attended the consultation for presenting pallor and ecchymosis in the thorax, abdomen and extremities. Laboratory tests found thrombocytopenia and severe anemia after a positive direct Coombs test. She received pulses of methylprednisolone with unfavorable response. The viral load was positive for cytomegalovirus (4019 copies of DNA) and received valganciclovir with favorable evolution at follow-up. Conclusions: Evans syndrome associated with CMV infection is uncommon. Treatment with valganciclovir may be beneficial for a certain group of patients. However, more studies are needed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of this treatment in this syndrome; even more so if it is associated with a high viral load(AU)

Infections sévères vue au service des urgences du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mahavoky Atsimo: Facteurs pronostics et Issue / Severe infections at the emergency department of the Mahavoky Atsimo teaching hospital: prognosis factors and outcome

: Une infection sévère constitue une situation préoccupante, car elle s'accompagne d'un taux élevé mortalité dans le monde. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer les facteurs pronostiques des infections sévères vues dans le service Accueil­triage­Urgence (ATU) du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Mahavoky Atsimo. Méthodes : Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective et analytique réalisée dans le service ATU du CHU Mahavoky Atsimo durant 24 mois (Janvier 2020-Décembre 2021). Nous avons inclus tous les patients avec une infection sévère, âgés de 15 et plus ayant un score qSOFA≥2. Résultats : la prévalence d'infection sévère était de 9,8% dont 68,3% de sepsis et 31,7% de choc septique. Les principales étiologies étaient la pneumopathie (26,8%), le paludisme (22%), les méningites (14,6%). Le taux de létalité était de 43,9%. L'âge moyen des patients était de 48,34ans ±2,46 avec une majorité masculine (61%). Les facteurs prédictifs d'un mauvais pronostic étaient : l'HTA (p=0,009), la présence de cardiopathie (p=0,001), l'antécédent d'infection urinaire (p=0,000), le score de Glasgow (p=0,006), le score qSOFA (p=0,010), l'extrémité froide (p=0,000), la présence des signes de lutte (p = 0,005), les râle s crépitants (p = 0,005), la VS élevée (p=0,002), l'élévation de la procalcitonine (p<0,0005), le traitement par quinolone (p=0,048), l'utilisation d'amine Vasopressive (p=0,040), la durée longue de perfusion de catécholamines (p=0,039), l'oxygénothérapie (p= 0,014) et l'utilisation de canule oropharyngée (p=0,003). Conclusions: L'infection sévère est une situation difficile à maîtriser. Le pronostic reste dépendant à la fois de la rapidité du diagnostic et de l'instauration rapide d'un traitement adapté au germe en cause

Typical hemophagocytic syndrome associated with cytomegalovirus infection in an immunocompetent patient: a case report and literature review / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is currently prevalent in populations throughout the world, and 56%‍-94% of the global population is seropositive for CMV. CMV infection mainly affects immunocompromised hosts. In these cases, it can cause significant symptoms, tissue-invasive disease, and many sequelae including death (Dioverti and Razonable, 2016). The vast majority of healthy adults with CMV infection experience an asymptomatic course; when symptomatic, it manifests as a mononucleosis-like syndrome in approximately 10% of patients (Sridhar et al., 2018). The gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system appear to be the most frequent sites of severe CMV infection in immunocompetent individuals (Rafailidis et al., 2008). However, CMV infection is relatively rarely recorded in immunocompetent hosts.

Effect of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Dose in Grafts on CMV Infection after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation between plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) dose in grafts and the occurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 80 children who received allo-HSCT in Children's Hospital of Soochow University from August 20, 2020 to June 11, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Proportions of DC subsets and T-cell subsets in grafts were detected by flow cytometry in order to calculate infused cell dose of each cell. Weekly monitoring of CMV-DNA copies in peripheral blood for each child were performed after transplantation. The last follow-up date was December 31, 2021.@*RESULTS@#All the children gained hematopoietic reconstitution. CMV infection was observed in 51 children (63.8%±5.4%) within the first 100 days after transplantation, including 2 cases developing CMV disease. Univariate analysis indicated that infused doses of DC and pDC were significantly associated with CMV infection within 100 days after allo-HSCT (P <0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that a high dose infusion of pDC was an independent protective factor for CMV infection within 100 days after allo-HSCT (P <0.05). By the end of follow-up, 7 children died of transplantation-related complications, including 2 deaths from CMV disease, 2 deaths from extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease, and 3 deaths from capillary leak syndrome. The overall survival rate was 91.2%.@*CONCLUSION@#The pDC in grafts may be associated with early infection of CMV after allo-HSCT, while a high infused pDC dose may serve as a protective factor for CMV infection after transplantation.

Therapeutic efficacy of volume-guaranteed high frequency oscillation ventilation on respiratory failure in preterm infants with a gestational age of 28-34 weeks: a prospective randomized controlled study / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of volume-guaranteed high frequency oscillation ventilation (HFOV-VG) versus conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) in the treatment of preterm infants with respiratory failure.@*METHODS@#A prospective study was conducted on 112 preterm infants with respiratory failure (a gestational age of 28-34 weeks) who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology, Jiangyin Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Southeast University, from October 2018 to December 2022. The infants were randomly divided into an HFOV-VG group (44 infants) and a CMV group (68 infants) using the coin tossing method based on the mode of mechanical ventilation. The therapeutic efficacy was compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#After 24 hours of treatment, both the HFOV-VG and CMV groups showed significant improvements in arterial blood pH, partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and partial pressure of oxygen/fractional concentration of inspired oxygen ratio (P<0.05), and the HFOV-VG group had better improvements than the CMV group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence rate of complications, 28-day mortality rate, and length of hospital stay (P>0.05), but the HFOV-VG group had a significantly shorter duration of invasive mechanical ventilation than the CMV group (P<0.05). The follow-up at the corrected age of 6 months showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in the scores of developmental quotient, gross motor function, fine motor function, adaptive ability, language, and social behavior in the Pediatric Neuropsychological Development Scale (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Compared with CMV mode, HFOV-VG mode improves partial pressure of oxygen and promotes carbon dioxide elimination, thereby enhancing oxygenation and shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory failure, while it has no significant impact on short-term neurobehavioral development in these infants.

Effect of breastfeeding on immune function in infants with human cytomegalovirus infection / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the effect of breastfeeding on immune function in infants with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 135 infants with HCMV infection who were admitted to Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2021 to May 2022, and all these infants received breastfeeding. According to the results of breast milk HCMV-DNA testing, the infants were divided into two groups: breast milk HCMV positive (n=78) and breast milk HCMV negative (n=57). According to the median breast milk HCMV-DNA load, the infants in the breast milk HCMV positive group were further divided into two subgroups: high viral load and low viral load (n=39 each). Related indicators were compared between the breast milk positive and negative HCMV groups and between the breast milk high viral load and low viral load subgroups, including the percentages of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, CD3+CD8+ T cells, and CD19+ B cells), CD4+/CD8+ ratio, IgG, IgM, IgA, and urine HCMV-DNA load.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in the percentages of CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, CD3+CD8+ T cells, and CD19+ B cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, IgG, IgM, IgA, and urine HCMV-DNA load between the breast milk HCMV positive and HCMV negative groups, as well as between the breast milk high viral load and low viral load subgroups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Breastfeeding with HCMV does not affect the immune function of infants with HCMV infection.

Evaluación neurológica durante el primer año en niños muy bajo peso al nacer con infección por citomegalovirus / Neurological evaluation during the first year in very low birth weight children with cytomegalovirus infection

Introducción: La infección congénita por citomegalovirus es causa de pérdida auditiva y alteraciones cognitivas. La infección perinatal por este virus es más frecuente en neonatos< 1500 g y produce menos secuelas neurológicas. Objetivo: Describir la evaluación neurológica en el primer año de vida en niños muy bajo peso al nacer con infección por citomegalovirus. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo y longitudinal en el que se incuyeron 14 neonatos< 1500 g, con diagnóstico de infección congénita o perinatal por citomegalovirus; a los cuales se les realizó evaluación del neurodesarrollo, ultrasonido craneal, potenciales evocados auditivos de tallo cerebral y potenciales visuales a las 40 semanas, a los seis meses y al año de edad gestacional corregida. En la primera evaluación se realizó además, electroencefalograma. Resultados: El 43 por ciento tuvo infección congénita y 57 por ciento infección perinatal. A las 40 semanas se evaluaron completamente 79 % de los casos, a los seis meses 64 por ciento y al año 36 por ciento. No se observaron anormalidades en el ultrasonido craneal, ni en el electroencefalograma. Al año de edad corregida, se detectaron alteraciones ligeras del neurodesarrolo en 33,3 por ciento del total de casos (2/6) y con igual porcentaje en los niños con infección congénita (1/3) y perinatal (1/3). En ningún paciente evaluado se detectó sordera neurosensorial, ni daño del nervio visual. Conclusiones: Las alteraciones del neurodesarrollo encontradas al año de edad corregida pueden estar relacionadas con la prematuridad o la infección por citomegalovirus. El seguimiento a mediano y largo plazo es necesario para detectar otras secuelas neurológicas de debut tardío(AU)

Introduction: Congenital cytomegalovirus infection is a cause of hearing loss and cognitive impairments. Perinatal infection by this virus is more frequent in neonates< 1500 g and produces fewer neurological sequelae. Objective: To describe neurological evaluation in the first year of life in very low birth weight children with cytomegalovirus infection. Methods: A descriptive and longitudinal study involving 14 neonates< 1500 g, with a diagnosis of congenital or perinatal cytomegalovirus infection; to which neurodevelopmental evaluation, cranial ultrasound, auditory brain stem evoked potentials and visual potentials were performed at 40 weeks, six months and one year of corrected gestational age. In the first evaluation, electroencephalogram was also performed. Results: 43 percent had congenital infection and 57 percent perinatal infection. At 40 weeks, 79 percent of cases were fully evaluated, at six months 64 percent and at one year 36 percent. No abnormalities were observed on the cranial ultrasound or electroencephalogram. At one year of corrected age, slight alterations in neurodevelopment were detected in 33.3 percent of all cases (2/6) and with the same percentage in children with congenital (1/3) and perinatal (1/3) infection. In no patient evaluated, sensorineural deafness or visual nerve damage was detected. Conclusions: The neurodevelopmental alterations found at one year of corrected age may be related to prematurity or cytomegalovirus infection. Medium- and long-term follow-up is necessary to detect other late-onset neurological sequelae(AU)

Presidential communication approaches and the impact on public health: a comparative analysis of three South African presidents' communication on AIDS and COVID-19

The HIV response in the African continent over past decades demonstrates the potency that the words and actions of political leaders have in either expediting or impeding the implementation and adoption of preventive measures at the individual and community levels. The article explores the health communication approaches employed by two South African past presidents (Thabo Mbeki and jacob Zuma) in responding to the HIV epidemic, and contrasts these with the communicative approach of President Cyril Ramaphosa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Approached from this understanding, this article provides a comparative analysis of the communication approaches of these three presidencies across the two pandemics, and considers the variously trusted sources of top-down, government-driven and bottom-up, community-informed approaches to health communication. Critical lessons that emerged in South Africa during the HIV epidemic regarding the need to include communities in communicating about risks and behaviour change have not been adopted into the COVID-19 response. Political leaders are not best placed to communicate about these issues, and, in the context of pandemics, there is a clear need to reconsider top-down communication approaches that are designed without the participation of communities and ignore the interconnected nature of health and other social determinants of health.

Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection initially managed as Congenital Rubella Syndrome

@#Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (cCMV) is challenging to differentiate from congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) clinically. Virus detection and serological tests are needed. However, they are often not readily available or are expensive. This is a case of a five-month-old male with bilateral cataracts. He was jaundiced at birth and started having seizure episodes at one month of age. He was also diagnosed with right inguinal hernia and had abnormal bilateral hearing tests. Both eyes were noted to have leukocoria at two months of age. There was dazzle on both eyes and sclerae were anicteric. Examination revealed dense cataracts on both eyes, but their ocular ultrasound results were essentially normal. Due to the bilateral hearing loss and bilateral cataracts, CRS was initially considered despite the absence of heart abnormality since there were reported CRS cases without the complete triad. However, possible coinfection or another disease was considered due to the presence of jaundice, seizures, and hernia, which were never seen in our previous CRS patients nor were reported in the literature. The patient underwent cataract extraction on both eyes without intraocular lens implantation (IOL) as recommended for CRS cataracts to prevent severe inflammation. TORCH (TOxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex) test was negative for rubella but positive for CMV. As such, the patient would have benefitted from early IOL implantation. The patient was then referred to a national medical center for possible treatment. However, since the patient already tested negative for CMV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) there, systemic antiviral therapy was no longer initiated. This case presented the challenge of clinically differentiating cCMV and CRS.

A clinically diagnosed congenital Rubella Syndrome and congenital Cytomegalovirus co-infection

@#This is a case of a four-month-old female infant who presented with clinical manifestations of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) — bilateral cataracts, poorly-dilating pupils, microcorneas, salt and pepper retinopathies seen after cataract extractions, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, patent ductus arteriosus, microcephaly, history of blueberry spots and low birth weight, and positive serum IgM and IgG tests for rubella. The patient’s mother also had prenatal rubella infection. However, the patient also presented with additional set of clinical findings not seen in recent patients with CRS and not commonly reported in literature: visual acuities of poor to no dazzle, bilateral choroidal thickening on ocular ultrasound that spontaneously resolved, optic nerve inflammation that became atrophic, vessel tortuosities seen after cataract extractions, bilateral subependymal cysts with lenticulostriate vasculopathy in basal ganglia, basal ganglia hyperintensity suggestive of calcification, and jaundice. These findings plus the overlapping clinical manifestations with CRS and the positive IgM and IgG for cytomegalovirus (CMV) made us consider a congenital CMV co-infection. CRS already causes significant childhood morbidity. Getting co-infected with CMV in utero worsens morbidity and makes management more difficult. This case presented a congenital co-infection of rubella and CMV and discussed the added challenges in their diagnosis and management.

Consistency analysis and clinical guiding significance of cytomegalovirus nucleic acid and antibody detections in patients with different clinical characteristics / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the consistency of cytomegalovirus deoxyribo nucleic acid (CMV-DNA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody detections in patients with different clinical characteristics and their guiding value for clinical practice.@*METHODS@#From December 2014 to November 2019, a total of 507 patients who were detected with both CMV-IgM and CMV-DNA were collected in Peking University International Hospital. Their general information, such as gender, age and clinical data, including the patient's diagnosis, medication, and outcome were also collected. The groups were stratified according to whether CMV-DNA was negative or positive, CMV-IgM was negative or positive, age, gender, and whether they received immunosuppressive therapy or not. The Pearson Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of the rates between the groups. P < 0.05 means the difference is statisti-cally significant.@*RESULTS@#Of the 507 patients submitted for examination, 55 (10.85%) were positive for CMV-DNA, 74 (14.60%) were positive for CMV-IgM, and 20 (3.94%) were positive for both CMV-DNA and CMV-IgM. Of the 55 patients with CMV-DNA positive, 37 were male, accounting for 67.27%. In addition, 25 patients were older than 60 years, accounting for 45.45% and 33 patients received immunosuppressive therapy, accounting for 60%. The rates were higher than that of CMV-DNA negative group, 47.35% (P=0.005), 68.14% (P=0.043), 46.02% (P=0.050), respectively. Of the patients with both CMV-DNA and IgM positive, 45% received immunosuppressive threapy, which was lower than that of CMV-DNA positive but IgM negative patients (68.57%, P=0.086), and also lower than CMV-DNA negative but IgM positive patients (68.52%, P=0.064). In the patients with both CMV-DNA and IgM positive, 91.67% showed remission after receiving ganciclovir, whereas in the patients with CMV-DNA positive but IgM negative, the rate was only 60% (P=0.067).@*CONCLUSION@#CMV-IgM antibody detection is affected by age, gender, and immune status. It is not recommended to use CMV-IgM alone to determine CMV infection in patients with immunosuppressive status and those older than 60 years. CMV-DNA and CMV-IgM combined detection may help to predict patients' immune status and outcomes of antiviral therapy.

Activity of curcumin against human cytomegalovirus infection in vitro / 生物医学工程学杂志

This study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin (Cur) against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in vitro. Human embryonic lung fibroblasts were cultured in vitro. The tetrazolium salt (MTS) method was used to detect the effects of Cur on cell viability. The cells were divided into control group, HCMV group, HCMV + (PFA) group and HCMV + Cur group in this study. The cytopathic effect (CPE) of each group was observed by plaque test, then the copy number of HCMV DNA in each group was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and the expression of HCMV proteins in different sequence was detected by Western blot. The results showed that when the concentration of Cur was not higher than 15 μmol/L, there was no significant change in cell growth and viability in the Cur group compared with the control group (P>0.05). After the cells were infected by HCMV for 5 d, the cells began to show CPE, and the number of plaques increased with time. Pretreatment with Cur significantly reduced CPE in a dose-dependent manner. After the cells were infected by HCMV, the DNA copy number and protein expression gradually increased in a time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with Cur significantly inhibited HCMV DNA copies and downregulate HCMV protein expression levels in a concentration-dependent manner, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, Cur may exert anti-HCMV activity by inhibiting the replication of HCMV DNA and down-regulating the expression levels of different sequence proteins of HCMV. This study provides a new experimental basis for the development of anti-HCMV infectious drugs.

The Clinical Efficacy of Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation by Using Parental Donors in Patients with Thalassemia / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the clinical efficacy of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) by using parental donors on thalassemia patients.@*METHODS@#The 13 thalassemia patients treated by haplo-HSCT using parental donors in our hospital from July 1, 2016, to July 1, 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Hematopoiesis reconstitution, the incidence of GVHD, infections and the long-term survival of the patients were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Twelve of the 13 patients were successfully implanted, the success rate of implantation was 92.3%. The median time of neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 12.5 days (range, 9-22 days) and 21 days (range,12-34 days), respectively. One patient achieved primary graft failure. Three (25%) patients developed to acute GVHD (aGVHD) and achieved complete remission after treatment. Chronic GVHD developed in three (25%) patients, one of them was extensive and under treatment, while one patient developed to severe bacterial infection (7.7%). CMV viremia was diagnosed in two patients (15.4%). There were no patients developed to CMV disease. Three (23.1%) patients achieved EB viremia after transplantation, one of them developed to EBV-related lymphocytic proliferative disease, while there were no patients showed invasive fungal infection. At the last follow-up, all patients survived, twelve of them were free from transfusion dependency. There were no transplant-related deaths. Projected overall and thalassemia-free survival at three years was 100% and 92.3%, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The transplant protocol of haplo-HSCT by using parental donors in patients with thalassemia has reliable source of donors, high incidence of successful implantation and low incidence of GVHD, which can be used as an effective way to increase the source of donors in children with thalassemia.

Clinical validation of an in-house quantitative real time PCR assay for cytomegalovirus infection using the 1st WHO International Standard in kidney transplant patients / Validação clínica de um ensaio de PCR in house quantitativo em tempo real para infecção por citomegalovírus usando o 1º Padrão Internacional da OMS em pacientes com transplantados renais

Abstract Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common agents of infection in solid organ transplant patients, with significant morbidity and mortality. Objective: This study aimed to establish a threshold for initiation of preemptive treatment. In addition, the study compared the performance of antigenemia with qPCR results. Study design: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in 2017 in a single kidney transplant center in Brazil. Clinical validation was performed by comparing in-house qPCR results, against standard of care at that time (Pp65 CMV Antigenemia). ROC curve analysis was performed to determine the ideal threshold for initiation of preemptive therapy based on the qPCR test results. Results: Two hundred and thirty two samples from 30 patients were tested with both antigenemia and qPCR, from which 163 (70.26%) were concordant (Kappa coefficient: 0.435, p<0.001; Spearman correlation: 0.663). PCR allowed for early diagnoses. The median number of days for the first positive result was 50 (range, 24-105) for antigenemia and 42 (range, 24-74) for qPCR (p<0.001). ROC curve analysis revealed that at a threshold of 3,430 IU/mL (Log 3.54), qPCR had a sensitivity of 97.06% and a specificity of 74.24% (AUC 0.92617 ± 0.0185, p<0.001), in the prediction of 10 cells/105 leukocytes by antigenemia and physician's decision to treat. Conclusions: CMV Pp65 antigenemia and CMV qPCR showed fair agreement and a moderate correlation in this study. The in-house qPCR was revealed to be an accurate method to determine CMV DNAemia in kidney transplant patients, resulting in positive results weeks before antigenemia.

Resumo Introdução: Citomegalovírus (CMV) é um dos agentes infecciosos mais comuns em pacientes com transplante de órgãos sólidos, com morbidade e mortalidade significativas. Objetivo: Este estudo visou estabelecer um limite para o início do tratamento preemptivo. Além disso, comparou o desempenho da antigenemia com os resultados da qPCR in house. Desenho do estudo: Este foi um estudo de coorte prospectivo realizado em 2017 em um centro único de transplante renal no Brasil. A validação clínica foi realizada comparando resultados de qPCR in house, com o padrão de atendimento na época (Antigenemia para CMV Pp65). A análise da curva ROC foi realizada para determinar o limite ideal para o início da terapia preemptiva baseado nos resultados do teste qPCR in house. Resultados: 232 amostras de 30 pacientes foram testadas com antigenemia e qPCR, das quais 163 (70,26%) foram concordantes (Coeficiente Kappa: 0,435, p<0,001; Correlação Spearman: 0,663). PCR permitiu diagnósticos precoces. O número médio de dias para o primeiro resultado positivo foi 50 (intervalo, 24-105) para antigenemia e 42 (intervalo, 24-74) para qPCR (p<0,001). A análise da curva ROC revelou que em um limite de 3.430 UI/mL (Log 3,54), qPCR teve sensibilidade de 97,06% e especificidade de 74,24% (AUC 0,92617 ± 0,0185, p<0,001), na previsão de 10 células/10(5) leucócitos por antigenemia e na decisão do médico de tratar. Conclusões: Antigenemia para CMV Pp65 e qPCR para CMV mostraram uma concordância aceitável e uma correlação moderada neste estudo. qPCR in house revelou-se um método preciso para determinar DNAemia do CMV em pacientes transplantados renais, obtendo resultados positivos semanas antes da antigenemia.