Adenovirus-associated pneumonia in South African children: Presentation, clinical course and outcome

Background. Viruses have emerged as important aetiological agents of childhood pneumonia.Objective. To investigate the clinical presentation, severity and outcome of adenovirus-associated pneumonia (AVP) in children.Methods. A retrospective analysis of AVP cases over 12 months was performed, including demographic, clinical course and outcome (death, persistent lung disease (PLD)) data.Results. Two hundred and six AVP cases (median age 12 months, interquartile range 6 - 24) were identified; 70 children (34.0%) were malnourished and 14 (6.8%) were HIV-infected. Twenty-nine children (14.1%) developed PLD, which was associated with hypoxia at presentation in 26 cases (89.7%; p=0.01) and necessitated admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) in 18 (62.1%; p<0.01); 18/206 children (8.7%) died. Admission to the ICU (odds ratio (OR) 8.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3 - 29.0) and a positive blood culture (OR 11.2, 95% CI 2.3 - 54.1) were independent risk factors for mortality.Conclusions. Adenovirus is a potential cause of pneumonia and PLD in young children in South Africa. ICU admission and a positive blood culture were associated with poor outcome

Empyema and parapneumonic effusions in children: an update

Childhood empyema is an important complication of bacterial pneumonia. The incidence of empyema is increasing worldwide. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common aetiologies in high and low-income countries respectively. The diagnosis is based on clinical; radiographic and pleural fluid examination. Tuberculosis (TB) is an important cause of a pleural effusion in high TB prevalence areas. There is controversy about the optimal treatment for empyema in children. Sepsis should be controlled with antibiotics and drainage of the pleural cavity. Intrapleural fibrinolysis and Video Assisted Thorascopic Surgery (VATS) are modern interventions widely used in high-income countries but mostly unavailable in the developed world. There are however few properly conducted studies that would support one therapeutic approach over the other. Despite this; the clinical outcome of paediatric empyema is usually good regardless of therapeutic approach. This review summarises aetiology; pathogenesis and clinical presentation of childhood empyema and discusses the various treatment modalities with an emphasis on clinical practice in developing countries