Infectious SARS-CoV-2 Particles from Rectal Swab Samples from COVID-19 Patients in Brazil.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic of SARS-CoV-2 viral excretion in rectal swab (RS), saliva, and nasopharyngeal swab (NS) samples from symptomatic patients and asymptomatic contacts. In addition, in order to evaluate the replication potential of SARS-CoV-2 in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the excretion of infectious SARS-CoV-2 from feces, we investigated the presence of subgenomic nucleoprotein gene (N) mRNA (sgN) in RS samples and cytopathic effects in Vero cell culture. A prospective cohort study was performed to collect samples from symptomatic patients and contacts in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from May to October 2020. One hundred and seventy-six patients had samples collected at home visits and/or during the follow up, resulting in a total of 1633 RS, saliva, or NS samples. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 130 (73.9%) patients who had at least one sample that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The presence of replicating SARS-CoV-2 in RS samples, measured by the detection of sgN mRNA, was successfully achieved in 19.4% (6/31) of samples, whilst infectious SARS-CoV-2, measured by the generation of cytopathic effects in cell culture, was identified in only one RS sample. Although rare, our results demonstrated the replication capacity of SARS-CoV-2 in the GI tract, and infectious viruses in one RS sample. There is still a gap in the knowledge regarding SARS-CoV-2 fecal-oral transmission. Additional studies are warranted to investigate fecal or wastewater exposure as a risk factor for transmission in human populations.

Medical Rehabilitation and Infectious Diseases in Children

Today, medical rehabilitation is undergoing significant transformation. The new system built around the biopsychosocial model includes assessment of physical constraints and rehabilitation diagnosis, determination of rehabilitation potential, formulation of goals and objectives of individual interventions, development of rehabilitation plans, and progress evaluation. All of these rehabilitation components can be implemented using a personalized, problem-oriented, multidisciplinary approach, which is now being actively introduced into clinical practice. The current pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection has demonstrated that medical rehabilitation is crucial for convalescents. However, its principles and techniques have not been fully elaborated yet. This review describes the current state of medical rehabilitation of children with or after infectious diseases and identifies its avenues and prospects.Copyright © 2022 Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction. All rights reserved.

Spectrum of Indication Kidney Biopsies in Community Acquired Aki

Introduction: Community acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) in low income settings is different from that in the high income settings. Infections, poisoning, toxic envenomations and pregnancy related AKI are common. Kidney biopsy is seldom performed in these patients unless atypical clinical course or features are present. We have established a prospective cohort of patients with CA-AKI at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh in India. We present the spectrum of kidney biopsies in patients who underwent kidney biopsy in this cohort. Method(s): The study is a single centre, prospective, observational cohort study of patients with CA-AKI at PGIMER. Patients aged >12 years and with a diagnosis of CA-AKI are eligible for enrolment. Patients with underlying CKD, urinary tract obstruction, COVID 19, malignancy or heart failure are excluded. Clinical and laboratory data are recorded at baseline. Follow up visits are scheduled at 1 and 4 months after hospital discharge. Kidney biopsies are done only in those patients who have atypical clinical course or features (e.g. persistent kidney dysfunction despite other clinical improvement, strong clinical suspicion of dominant glomerular involvement or interstitial nephritis etc.). We present the spectrum of histopathological diagnoses that were recorded in such patients till date. Result(s): Till now, 646 patients have been included in the cohort. The leading causes of CA-AKI are sepsis (52%), obstetric complications (14%), envenomation (8%), nephrotoxic drugs (6%) and poisons (3%) (figure 1). 18.4% patients had died after CA-AKI. At >=3 months after CA-AKI, 16.3% patients had not recovered completely with persistent eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m2. 44 patients had undergone kidney biopsy in this cohort. Incomplete recovery, and clinical or diagnostic dilemmas were indications for doing kidney biopsy. The leading clinical diagnoses in this subgroup were sepsis (23%), nephrotoxic drugs (23%), envenomation (9%), obstetric causes (6.8%) and others (25%). Acute interstitial nephritis, acute tubular necrosis and acute cortical necrosis were most common histologic diagnoses (table 1). Combinations of various histologic features were not uncommon. Pigment casts were recorded in 13 patients. 4 patients had acute cortical necrosis, 2 being after post-partum AKI and one each due to acute gastroenteritis and unknown animal bite. Glomerular involvement were recorded in 8 patients (table 1). Thrombotic microangiopathy was present in 4 patients. In this subgroup of patients who underwent kidney biopsy, 3 (7%) had died and 8 (18%) had eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m2 at >=3 months. Figure 1: Causes of CA-AKI in patients [Formula presented] Table 1: Histologic diagnoses in kidney biopsies in CA-AKI cohort. [Formula presented] Conclusion(s): Acute interstitial nephritis and acute tubular necrosis, alone or in combination with other findings, were the most common histologic diagnoses in indication kidney biopsies in CA-AKI. Adverse outcomes (mortality or progression to CKD) are common after CA-AKI. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023

Ulinastatin for Aki: Should It Be in Our Care Bundle ?

Introduction: In critically ill patients with AKI, unacceptably high mortality rates reaching up to 50-80% in all dialyzed ICU patients are seen despite the availability of intensive renal support. At present there is no specific or targeted therapy for AKI. Pathophysiology of AKI is multifactorial. Systemic inflammation, mediated in part by cytokines, might be contributing majorly to the development of AKI. This mandates a multipronged approach to the treatment of AKI. There are hardly any studies on the use of ulinastatin in AKI. Our premise regarding the use of molecule in AKI was based on the fact that this molecule acts at multiple levels in the sepsis and can act to stop the cascade and thereby stop the "storm." Methods: We studied a total of 200 patients with AKI who needed ICU care in our hospital in the period between June 2017 - Jan 2020. Out of these, 100 patients received Injection ulinastatin 3 doses a day for 5 days, against a similar number of control patients. We included those patients with AKI who had SOFA scores more than 8. None of the patients had COVID 19 infection. We compared the same number of patients who had received ulinastatin with controls. Injection ulinastatin 1,50,000IU was given three times a day for 5 days. All the patients included had received dialytic therapy. We recorded the age of the patients, it varied from 11-94 years (mean age 52 years), > 60 % (120) of the patients being in the age group of 26-40 years. The ratio of males to females 1.8:1 (M: F 129:71). The etiologies were as follows: Malaria - complicated - P vivax, P falciparum (n= 76) 38% Enteric fever (n= 40) 20% UTI (n=30) 15% Post-partum (n=20) 10% Dengue (n = 14) 7% Acute gastroenteritis/diarrheal diseases (n= 12) 6% Pancreatitis (n= 6) 3% Obstructive uropathy (n= 3) 1.5% 33 % (n= 66) patients had diabetes as a co morbid condition. The renal function tests of all the patients along with liver function tests, sepsis parameters like d-dimer, serum procalcitonin levels, CRP-hs levels, coagulation tests, complete blood counts, and arterial blood gas analysis were done We recorded the length of stay, need and duration of renal replacement therapy, time to stoppage of renal replacement therapy, need for mechanical ventilation, mortality and post AKI recovery and progression to CKD. Result(s): The patients who received ulinastatin had a shorter stay in the ICU (p <0.01 vs control group);also, the time to stoppage of renal replacement therapy was shorter (p < 0.05). The recovery of renal function was seen in 84% (n=168). The progression to CKD was seen in 11% (n=22) of patients. The average number of sittings of dialysis needed were 11 (range3-20), lesser number of dialysis were needed in the ulinastatin group. The overall mortality was 36 %(n=72).The average follow up period post discharge has been 141 days (21 - 240 days) Conclusion(s): There definitely seem to be advantages in using ulinastatin and results look promising. But there are limitations to this study - this was a retrospective analysis hence not all the patients received ulinastatin. Moreover, the drug is expensive. This study was done in a semi urban set up where causes for AKI are predominantly infective. A larger prospective double-blind study will be needed to consider ulinastatin as a routine option for treating AKI. Till then preventing AKI should be the aim for us. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023

Dynamics of the frequency of hospitalizations of children under 5 years of age with rotavirus infection in the absence of universal vaccination against rotavirus (15-year follow-up)

Purpose - to monitor the dynamics of the frequency of hospitalization of children under 5 years of age with rotavirus infection during 15 years in the absence of universal vaccination and to determine the burden of rotavirus infection and the feasibility of introducing a rotavirus vaccine into the National Vaccination Calendar. Materials and methods. Active surveillance of rotavirus infection among hospitalized children under 5 years of age was conducted according to a standard protocol prepared by WHO for the global rotavirus infection surveillance network. A comparison was made of the frequency of hospitalization of children under 5 years of age with rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) by sentinel years. Stool samples were collected within 2 days of hospitalization and sent to the virology laboratory for testing. Detection of rotavirus was carried out using ELISA. Genotyping of rotaviruses was carried out in WHO laboratories by the method of multiplex RT-PCR. Results. During 15 years (2007-2021) of observation, there were 7,821 children underthe age of 5 who were hospitalized in connection with an acute intestinal infection at the Kyiv Surveillance Center. Rotavirus infection was determined in 3387 children (43.3%). A consistently high frequency of hospitalizations with rotavirus AGE was observed with a slight downward trend over the years (from 50-75% in the first years to 33-39% in 2018-2019). In 2021 (the 15thyear of observation), the average annual frequency of rotavirus AGE decreased even more significantly and amounted to 21 % (a 61 % decrease compared to the first years of oPservation). The unexpected decrease in the frequency of rotavirus diarrhea among hospitalized children in the 15thyear of observation in the absence of universal vaccination against rotavirus is difficult to explain. A number of factors could have contributed to the above-mentioned decrease, the most likely of which could be the coincidence in time with the endemic of COVID-19, in which anti-ebidemic measures are similar to those for intestinal infections. While the average annual freguency of hospitalizations with rotavirus infection decreased, the frequency of hospitalizations remained high in certain months of the year, starting from January to June, which increased the Purden on inpatients in certain, mostly cold, months of the year. Further active monitoring of rotavirus infection is necessary to definitively resolve the issue of whether the decrease in the frequency of rotavirus infection by the 15thyear is temporary or is a natural course of the epidemic process and will continue to occur. Conclusions. In Ukraine, in the absence of universal vaccination against rotavirus, during the 15-year (2007-2021) observation period, a consistently high frequency of rotavirus infection was noted among hospitalized children under 5 years of age with AGE, with a slight downward trend overthe years. In the 15thyear of follow-up (2021), there was an unusual decline in the proportion of rotavirus infection among hospitalized children, which may have been contributed to by a number of factors, the most likely of which could be the coincidence in the period with the COVID-19 epidemic, in which anti-epidemic measures are similar to those for intestinal infections. Even with a decrease in the average annual frequency of rotavirus AGE in the 15thyear of observation, a consistently high rate of hospitalization with rotavirus gastroenteritis remains in certain months of the year, which increases the burden on inpatients. The significant burden of rotavirus infection among children under the age of 5 years old determines the expediency of including the rotavirus vaccine in the National Vaccination Calendar of Ukraine. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors. © 2022 The authors

Evidence on the Preventive Effects of the Postbiotic Derived from Cow's Milk Fermentation with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CBA L74 against Pediatric Gastrointestinal Infections.

Postbiotics are commonly defined as preparations of inanimate probiotics and/or their cellular components and/or their metabolites/end products that confer health benefits on the host. They have been suggested as a promising strategy to limit infectious diseases. Emerging evidence support the efficacy of the postbiotic derived from cow's milk fermentation with the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CBAL74 (FM-CBAL74) in preventing pediatric infectious diseases. We aimed at reviewing the evidence available.

Effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on pediatric emergency department visits for acute gastroenteritis evaluated using a validated clinical severity score.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak that began in late 2019 has significantly affected quality of life and healthcare. Approaches to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have also affected the prevalence of other diseases. This retrospective review evaluated pediatric emergency department (PED) volume, in terms of children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE), and changes in AGE severity before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan. METHODS: Patients who visited the PED and were diagnosed with AGE during the 70-day COVID-19 lockdown in 2021, or the identical period in 2020, were compared using a clinically validated AGE severity score, the modified Vesikari score (MVS), and additional parameters. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a 61.4% reduction in the number of children with AGE visiting the PED. In that period, the AGE severity score was similar compared to the pre-pandemic period (9.00 vs. 8.57, p = 0.273). The mean C-reactive protein (CRP) level (55.7 vs. 40.6 mg/L, p < 0.001) and rate of antibiotics use (48% vs. 23.5%, p < 0.001) were higher during the outbreak than the pre-pandemic period. CONCLUSION: The number of children with AGE visiting the PED decreased during the COVID-19 outbreak, while disease severity was unchanged compared to the pre-pandemic period. The use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic warrants further investigation.

INFECTIOUS PATHOLOGIES AFFECTING KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECEPIENTS: A SINGLE CENTRE PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have to receive lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. Consequently they are predisposed to life threatening infections. Even though the data on infectious pathologies have been described in KTRs, the data on long term sequalae of such diseases is lacking. Methods: In this single high volume centre we followed up 100 KTRs, who presented to us with signs of infections. Patients presenting with acute drug reaction or toxicity, malignancy, and auto-immune disorders were excluded. Results: Majority of the patients were male (80%) with a median age of 47years and the median duration of follow up is 34 months. Comorbidites were present in majority of patients in the form of hypertension (83%), Diabetes (11%), heart disease (7%). Amongst infections prior to kidney transplant, TB (28%), HCV (11%) and HBV (1%) were the predominant. 33% patients had acute graft dysfunction, which on biopsy showed mostly ATN and was managed conservatively. However one patient had features of CMV viremia, which was managed with iv Valganciclovir. During follow up 57% of patients presented to us with at least one episode of infection, while 24% patients had 3 more episodes of infection during the follow up period. First episode of infection occurred after a median duration of 10 months. The most common infections were UTI (40%), acute gastroenteritis (35%), CMV infections (10%),pyelonephritis (5%), bacterial pneumonia (5%) protozoal infections (2%), COVID (2%). Most of the infections were managed successfully however 10% patients had graft dysfunction and are on maintenance hemodialysis. Conclusions: Infections in KTRs are a serious debilitating condition which affect graft function. Prompt and aggressive treatment is warranted for graft survival. No conflict of interest

INFECTIONS IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS :SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE FROM TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN SOUTH INDIA

Introduction: Infections occurring in the post transplant period are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in renal transplant recipients. Early infections (within the first month) are more likely to be due to nosocomially acquired pathogens, surgical issues, and donor-derived infections. Opportunistic pathogens occur after 6 months, reflects the greater impact of immunosuppressive therapies. Late infections may be secondary to opportunistic pathogens or conventional ones. Methods: It is a retrospective observational study.All hospitalised patients with infections were included between November 2019 to march 2022 excluding covid 19 infections.Infections were categorised based on time line of infection into less than one month, 1-6 months and more than 6 months and sub categorised based on type of organisms and source of infection.All baseline characteristics, labs, microbiological including serology, PCR and cultures, radiological findings and histopathological findings were noted.Complications including graft dysfunction and need for various supports such as O2, ionotropes, ventilator and dialysis and treatment details and in hospital patient outcomes were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: 53 patients admitted with infection in the given period were included in the study.Among them 88.67% were males and 11.33% females. In the study population 66.03 % underwent live related renal transplant and 33.97% underwent deceased donor transplantation. Mean age of the study population was 35.2 years. There were 118 events of infection identified during the study period.UTI was the most common post-transplant infection and occurred in 36.44 % of total events. There were 13 events of post-transplant infection in the first month. Most common infection in early post-transplant period was UTI, 53.84 % of events of UTI occurred followed by pneumonia in 23.07% of total events. E coli was isolated in 57.14 % of events There were 48 events of infections in the period of 1- 6 months.UTI was the most common infection (37.5 % of total events ) and E coli was the most common organism isolated(44.44 %). Pneumonia was the second commonly occurred event in 18.75 % of total events and Klebsiella was the most common isolated ( 55.56 % ).CMV disease was identified in 10.41% events, 40 % had tissue invasive CMV, 60% presented with cytopenia. There were 57 events of infections after 6 months, UTI was the most common infection(31.57% events) and E coli was the most common organism (44.00%).Pneumonia occurred in 19.29% followed by skin and soft tissue infection (13.94 %)herpes zoster ( 8.75% ) gastroenteritis(7.01%), BKVN (5.26%),oral candidiasis (3.50%)CMV disease (3.50%), tuberculosis(3.5%), meningitis (1.75%) and dengue(1.75%). 95.76% of infectious event was associated allograft dysfunction and 22.64 % of the study population had PTDM. In 15.25 % of events, patients had septic shock at presentation.Amongst them 44.44% had urosepsis, 33.33% had pneumonia, 22.22% had acute gastroenteritis. 18.86 % expired during hospital stay,amongst them 60 % had pneumonia and 30% had urosepsis and 10% had acute gastroenteritis. [Formula presented] [Formula presented] [Formula presented] [Formula presented] Conclusions: Patients who undergo renal transplantation are subjected to immunosuppression which increase the burden of infections in the post-transplant period.Early and accurate diagnosis is the key to prevent morbidity and mortality of renal transplant recipients No conflict of interest

THE CLINICAL CASE: COVID-19 IN A CHILD WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Since the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, most researchers have noted a low proportion of sick children in general pediatric cohort compared to adults, who had a mild disease course and rare complications. The most frequent clinical manifestations of the disease are respiratory and, some less frequently diarrheal syndromes. The disease has predominantly mild or asymptomatic course. The risk of adverse outcomes in children, similar to adults, clearly correlate with the presence of background chronic pathology. The need for respiratory support prevails in children with a severe premorbid burden. Here, a clinical case of ongoing novel coronavirus infection in adolescent patient comorbid with chronic kidney pathology is described. In adolescence, the patient was diagnosed with mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (IgA-nephropathy), and further registered at the dispensary receiving a combination therapy with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and disaggregation drugs. The epidemiological history contained no established contacts with infectious patients. The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in the patient are represented by catarrhal and diarrheal syndromes, transient renal dysfunction in the acute period of the disease. The onset of coronavirus infection was clinically characterized by symptoms of damaged gastrointestinal tract and was considered as acute gastroenteritis of infectious etiology. Empirically prescribed antibacterial therapy in combination with antiplatelet agents and symptomatic drugs had no effect. The diagnosis of the novel coronavirus infection was verified only on day 4 of hospitalization, clinical and laboratory signs of lung damage emerged. The inflammatory process developed in the patient lungs was secondary to the main pathology. The severity of the patient’s condition was determined by the presence of respiratory and renal insufficiency. Lung damage with minimal severity complaints and clinical data had a bimodal pattern and required respiratory support. A comprehensive approach to treatment, including respiratory, antiviral, enterosorption, anticoagulation, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, symptomatic therapy with change in antibacterial drugs allowed to achieve positive dynamics. On day 12 of the illness, the patient required no respiratory support. The presence of symptoms of gastrointestinal tract damage in COVID-19 necessitates the mandatory inclusion of PCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 into diagnostic protocol in patients with diarrheal syndrome to perform etiological disease interpretation.

HOSPITILISATIONS FOR NOROVIRUS DECREASE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Background Gastrointestinal infections cause a significant burden to the Australian healthcare system each year, with acute gastroenteritis infections costing up to $359 million AUD ($258 million USD) in 2016. Viral causes of gastroenteritis, particularly Norovirus, account for the majority of these cases. Given the contagious nature of many causes of bacterial and viral gastroenteritis, it was hypothesized that widespread lockdowns and increased public health focus on regular hand hygiene would contribute to a reduction in hospital presentations with gastrointestinal infections. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia first went into lockdown in March 2020 and remained in various forms of lockdown until late 2020. Methods A retrospective study comparing rates of hospitalization for bacterial and viral gastroenteritis was performed at The Royal Melbourne Hospital between February-August in both 2019 and 2020. Rates of admission were compared between the two years, as well as the causative organism and the outcome of the presentation. Descriptive statistics were provided to summarise demographic characteristics. Outcomes between the two years were compared using paired t-tests for continuous variables and Pearson chi-square for categorical variables. All data analysis was performed using Stata 16.1 and p-values £0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Demographic data are summarised in Table 1. 283 patients were hospitalized with gastroenteritis in 2019 pre-pandemic, compared to 147 in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a significant reduction in the number of patients admitted with positive fecal cultures from 2019 to 2020 (87 vs 57, p < 0.01). The number and percentage of patients presenting with Norovirus reduced by greater than 90% in 2020 compared to 2019 (Table 2) (Odds Ratio: 0.093 [Confidence Interval: 0.02-0.41], p<0.01). There was a reduction in the number of presentations with Salmonella, however, this did not reach statistical significance (p=0.50). The number of patients presenting with Clostridium difficile significantly increased in 2020 compared to 2019 (21 versus 25, p=0.01) (Table 2). Rates of antibiotic treatment and intensive care admission were greater in 2020 compared to 2019 however there was no significant difference in biomarkers, length of stay, or mortality (Table 2). Conclusion A significant decrease in the incidence of hospitalization secondary to acute gastrointestinal infections was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Norovirus presentations decreased by greater than 90% between 2019 and 2020. The rate of other GI infections was similar between pre-pandemic and pandemic time points. These findings suggest that public health measures, such as social distancing and hand hygiene, may be a useful adjunct to prevent Norovirus infections in the future and could result in significant healthcare savings.(Table Presented)TABLE 1: PATIENT DEMOGRAPHICS(Table Presented) TABLE 2: GASTROINTESTINAL CULTURE POSITIVE INFECTIONS 2019 VERSUS 2020

Impact of COVID-19 by Pandemic Wave among Patients with Gastroenterology Symptoms in the Emergency Departments at a Medical Center in Taiwan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected emergency department (ED) usage. This study examines changes in the number of ED visits for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and nonemergency GI conditions, such as acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and constipation, before the pandemic and at the peak and slack periods of the pandemic in Taiwan. This retrospective observational study was conducted at a referral medical center in northern Taiwan. We recorded the number of weekly ED visits for GI bleeding, AGE, and constipation from 2019 to 2021. We then compared the baseline period (calendar weeks 4-18 and 21-31, 2019) with two peak pandemic periods (period 1, calendar weeks 4-18, 2020; period 2, calendar weeks 21-31, 2021) and their corresponding slack periods. The decline in the number of ED visits during the two peak pandemic periods for GI bleeding (-18.4% and -30.2%) were not as substantial as for AGE (-64.1% and -76.7%) or for constipation (-44.4% and -63.6%), but GI bleeding cases were still significantly lower in number relative to the baseline. During the slack period, the number of ED visits for all three diagnoses rebounded but did not exceed the baseline. Our study revealed that there was a significant decline of GI complaint during the pandemic. This phenomenon was more prominent in nonemergency complaints (AGE and constipation) and less prominent in serious complaints (GI bleeding).

Rotavirus and Norovirus Infections in Children Under 5 Years Old with Acute Gastroenteritis in Southwestern China, 2018-2020.

OBJECTIVE: Rotaviruses and noroviruses are important causes of acute gastroenteritis in children. While previous studies in China have mainly focused on rotavirus, we investigated the incidence of norovirus in addition to rotavirus in Southwestern China. METHODS: From January 2018 to December 2020, cases of rotavirus or norovirus infections among children under five ages with acute gastroenteritis were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The detection rate of rotavirus was 24.5% (27,237/111,070) and norovirus was 26.1% (4649/17,797). Among 17,113 cases submitted for dual testing of both rotavirus and norovirus, mixed rotavirus/norovirus infections were detected in 5.0% (859/17,113) of cases. While there was no difference in norovirus incidence in outpatient compared to hospitalized cases, rotavirus was detected two times more in outpatients compared to hospitalized cases (26.6% vs.13.6%; P < 0.001). Both rotavirus and norovirus infections peaked in children aged 12-18 months seeking medical care with acute gastroenteritis (35.6% rotavirus cases; 8439/23,728 and 32.5% norovirus cases; 1660/5107). Rotavirus infections were frequent between December and March of each year while norovirus was detected earlier from October to December. Our results showed significant correlation between virus detection and environmental factors such as average monthly temperature but not relative humidity. In addition, we observed a reduction in the detection rates of rotavirus and norovirus at the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that rotavirus and norovirus are still important viral agents in pediatric acute gastroenteritis in Southwestern China.

Development and application of LAMP assays for the detection of enteric adenoviruses in feces.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an alternative to PCR that is faster and requires fewer resources. Here, we describe two LAMP assays for the detection of human adenoviruses in the feces of children with acute intestinal infections. We designed сolorimetric LAMP (c-LAMP) and real-time LAMP (f-LAMP) with fluorescent probes to detect the DNA of the adenovirus F human adenovirus 40/41 (hAdV40/41) hexon gene. The detection limit of both developed methods was 103 copies/mL, which is comparable to the sensitivity of PCR. The specificities of both c-LAMP and f-LAMP were high, with no false-positive results for clinical samples that do not contain adenovirus F, when testing other viruses and microorganisms. Comparative tests of PCR and LAMP on clinical samples from patients with acute gastroenteritis were carried out. For all samples with a PCR threshold cycle (CT) of up to 36, the PCR and LAMP results completely coincided; however, at low viral loads, the diagnostic sensitivity of LAMP, especially c-LAMP with colorimetric detection, was inferior to that of PCR. The combination of LAMP with modern methods of nucleic acid extraction, both in manual and automatic modes, can reduce the time for a complete study, including extraction of nucleic acid material and amplification, to 60 min. IMPORTANCE In April 2022, several cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin were reported in children from 12 countries. In many cases, enteric adenovirus or SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus coinfection were detected. It is known that human adenoviruses can cause different infections of varying severity, from asymptomatic to severe cases with lethal outcomes. There is a need to increase the diagnostic capabilities of clinical laboratories to identify such an underestimated pathogen as adenovirus. Although PCR remains the gold standard for pathogen detection, this method requires specialized equipment and has a long turnaround time to process samples. Previously, LAMP assays for the detection of human adenovirus have been based on measuring the turbidity, the fluorescence of intercalated dyes, or electrophoretic separation. Herein, we present LAMP-based assays with colorimetric or fluorescent detection and perform a detailed assessment of their sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic performance.

Emerging norovirus GII.4 Sydney[P31] causing acute gastroenteritis outbreak in children in Japan, during COVID-19, 2021.

INTRODUCTION: Norovirus (NoV) is the most common agent causing outbreaks and sporadic cases of acute gastroenteritis among all ages, especially children under 5 years old. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, NoV infection has decreased drastically in Japan due to school closures and no outbreak related to NoV infection had been reported. METHOD: In mid-September 2021, NoV outbreak occurred in kindergarten and nursery schools in Maizuru, Kyoto prefecture, Japan. Twenty-six stool samples collected from patients who were diagnosed of NoV gastroenteritis from the outbreak by an immunochromatographic (IC) kit at a pediatric outpatient clinic in Maizuru city during 3 weeks from September 13 to October 8, 2021 were examined for the presence of NoV GII by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), genome sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. RESULT: All 26 samples were confirmed positive to NoV GII and their genotypes were identified as GII.4 Sydney[P31]. The amino acid substitutions in open reading frame1 (ORF1) and ORF2 genes were found when compared with previously detected sporadic NoV GII.4 Sydney[P31] strains isolated in Japan. The clinical characterization of infected children was described. Most of the children were mild cases and vomiting was the most frequent clinical symptom. CONCLUSION: This study reported a recent emergence of NoV GII.4 Sydney[P31] causing acute gastroenteritis outbreak in children in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggests a need for further monitoring of NoV GII.4 variants.

POS-179 Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Requiring Dialysis in Nephrology Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis is an important health care burdenand is associated with very high in-hospital mortality. As no specific treatment is available toreverse AKI, the management remains supportive, including optimized fluid, electrolyte andacid-base balance, adjusting the dose of potentially nephrotoxic medications or avoidingsecondary haemodynamic and nephrotoxic kidney injury with timely initiation of dialysis.Timely initiation of dialysis in AKI is fundamental to achieve treatment goals and to providesolute clearance and removal of excess fluid while awaiting recovery of kidney function. Ifkidney function remains inadequate after a period of discontinuation from dialysis, it should bereinstituted by the foresight of the treating physician. The primary outcome of interest of thestudy was recovery of sufficient kidney function to discontinue haemodialysis therapy andcomplete recovery of renal function. Methods: This prospective observational study has beenconducted in the Department of Nephrology, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital,Bangladesh from September 2019 to February 2021. All adult patients in whom conventionalintermittent haemodialysis was initiated in the dialysis ward were included in the study. Allpatients were followed up till death or complete recovery or for a maximum period of six month.A structured data collection sheet was used to collect patients detail and recorded data wereanalyzed by IBM SPSS version 23. Results: A total of 134 patients of AKI requiring dialysiswere included in the study with the mean age of 42.3±15.7 years. Male (54.5%) were slightlymore than female with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Diabetes was present in 16 (11.9%)patients and hypertension was present in 47 (35.1%) patients. The causes of AKI weresepticaemia (35.1%), urinary tract infection (34.3%), surgery (18.7%), vomiting (16.4%),leptospirosis (11.2%), obstetric (10.4%), acute watery diarrhoea (9.7%), malignancy (8.2%), postrenal obstruction (8.2%), drugs (7.5%), rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (6%), COVID-19(5.2%), rhabdomyolysis (4.5%), intestinal obstruction (3.7%), acute gastroenteritis (2.2%), waspbite (2.2%), organophosphorus compounds (OPC) poisoning (1.5%), starfruit toxicity (1.5%),haemolytic uremic syndrome (0.7%) and unknown (1.5%). Mean number of dialysis requirementwas 5.9±8.6 and length of hospital stay was 15.4±10.5 days. Out of 134 patients, 95 (70.9%)were discharged from hospital and 39 (29.1%) died in hospital. Total death of patients during thestudy period were 49 (36.6%) including home death of 10 (7.5%) patients. Complete recovery ofkidney function was achieved in 70 (52.2%) patients and partial recovery of kidney function whocan survive without dialysis were observed in 12 (9%) patients. 3 (2.2%) patients remain ondialysis and total survival during the study period was observed in 85 (63.4%) patients. Survivalrate was significantly higher in patients with ≤ 40 years (72.6%) and significantly lower inpatients with malignancy (18.2%) and post renal obstruction (27.3%). Conclusions: Outcomes ofacute kidney injury in patients requiring dialysis remains poor. Early detection, optimization offluid and electrolyte balance and timely initiation of haemodialysis are the keys to improvesurvival and overall mortality. No conflict of interest

Effects Of Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation In Children With Funtional Constipation

Introduction: Management of intractable Functional Constipation (FC) can include antegrade enemas, transanal irrigation and in some cases sacral nerve stimulation (SNS). SNS is expensive, invasive and not available in all centers. Although the mechanism of action of SNS in the treatment of FC is unclear, one of its effects is through direct modulation of nerve activity. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) allows transmission of electronic impulses and retrograde stimulation to the sacral nerve plexus in a simple and non-invasive fashion. Methods: Single-center, prospective interventional study. Children between the ages of 4-14 with Rome IV diagnosis of FC. Exclusion criteria: Neurological problems or organic causes of fecal or urinary incontinence. Over a 2-week period, children received 10 daily sessions of PTNS (30 min/day) during weekdays. Electrodes were placed over the skin of the ankle posteriorly. Placement of electrodes on the anatomic route of the posterior tibial nerve was confirmed through visualization of rhythmic flexion of toes during initial stimulation. Strength of the stimulus was below pain threshold. Children recorded characteristics of bowel movements (BMs) daily during the intervention and the following 7 days. Consistency was assessed through Bristol scale and quality of life (QOL) via PedsQL GI questionnaire. Results: 23 children were enrolled. One child was excluded for acute gastroenteritis (on the 7th session of PTNS) and one child for COVID-19 exposure. 20 patients completed the study (4-14 years) (8,4+/-3,2years, 71.4 % female) day 1 (n=21) to day 17(n=20). By the end of the trial, there was a significant improvement in consistency of BMs, fecal incontinence (FI) (no episodes of FI), presence and intensity of abdominal pain and a trend for improvement in blood in the stools (no children had blood in the stools) (Table 1). In PedsQL GI questionnaire, there was a 91.3% improvement of incomplete BM and 86.3% improvement in abdominal pain. Only one child required rescue therapy (no BM for 3 days). This child was the only treatment failure. Two children reported leg cramps that resolved by changing the side of PTNS application. At 7 days follow-up, there was persistently significant improvement in presence and intensity of abdominal pain and no children had FI or blood in the stools. Conclusion We found an improvement in stool consistency, FI, blood in stools and QOL at the end of the trial with sustained benefits in abdominal pain, blood in stools and FI at follow-up. The study suggests that PTNS may be a promising noninvasive treatment for FC in children. Larger studies with long-term follow-up should confirm our findings. Controlled randomized clinical trials with various protocols are recommended. (Table Presented)

Persistence Of Gastrointestinal Symptoms After Hospitalization For Covid-19: Prevalence And Risk Factors

Introduction Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome May Occur After 10% Of Acute Gastrointestinal (Gi) Infections And Can Cause Significant Long-Term Morbidity. Covid-19 Frequently Presents With Acute Gi Symptoms, But It Is Unclear How Often These Persist After Recovery. The Purpose Of This Study Was To Estimate The Prevalence Of Persistent Gi Symptoms After Covid-19 And To Identify Risk Factors For This. Methods Adult Patients Who Were Hospitalized With Covid-19 At Columbia University Medical Center Between March 1 And June 30, 2020 And Had A Primary Care Appointment 30 To 180 Days After Discharge Were Reviewed For The Presence Or Absence Of Documented Gi Symptoms (Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Nausea/Vomiting, Or Constipation) At Initial Presentation With Covid-19 And At Primary Care Follow Up. Patients Were Excluded If They Had A Pre Existing History Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Other Chronic Gi Conditions, Or Acute Enteric Infections During Hospitalization With Covid-19 (E.G., Clostridioides Difficile Infection). The Prevalence Of Persistent Gi Symptoms After Covid-19 Hospitalization Was Estimated, And Risk Factors Were Assessed. Results 187 Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19 Met Study Inclusion Criteria. Of These, 37 Were Excluded For Pre-Existing Gi Symptoms And 3 For C. Difficile Infection, Leaving 147 Patients In The Cohort. The Most Common Gi Symptoms At Initial Presentation With Covid-19 Were Diarrhea (23%), Nausea/Vomiting (21%), And Abdominal Pain (6.1%). After A Median Follow-Up Time Of 106 Days (Iqr 78-141), 16% Of Patients Had Persistent Gi Symptoms (95% Confidence Interval 11 To 23%). An Additional 5% Of Patients Experienced Transient Gi Symptoms Which Resolved. At The Time Of Most Recent Follow-Up, 7.5% Of Patients Had New Abdominal Pain, 6.8% New Constipation, 4.1% New Diarrhea, And 4.1% New Nausea/ Vomiting (Table 1). The Prevalence Of Persistent Gi Symptoms After Covid-19 Was Significantly Higher Than The Estimated Prevalence Of Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome After Acute Gastroenteritis (16% Vs. 10%, P=0.01) But May Decline Over Time (Figure 1). The Presence Of Gi Symptoms At The Time Of Initial Presentation Was A Risk Factor For Persistent Symptoms After Hospitalization For Covid-19 (22% Vs. 14%, P=0.21). Prior History Of Depression Was Also A Risk Factor For Persistent Gi Symptoms (28% Vs. 13%, P=0.04). Conclusion At A Median Of 106 Days After Discharge Following Hospitalization For Covid-19, 16% Of Patients Reported Persistent New Gi Symptoms. The Long-Term Gi Effects Of Covid-19 Should Be Further Studied.

Dasabuvir Inhibits Human Norovirus Infection in Human Intestinal Enteroids.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are acute viral gastroenteritis pathogens that affect all age groups, yet no approved vaccines and drugs to treat HuNoV infection are available. In this study, we screened an antiviral compound library to identify compound(s) showing anti-HuNoV activity using a human intestinal enteroid (HIE) culture system in which HuNoVs are able to replicate reproducibly. Dasabuvir (DSB), which has been developed as an anti-hepatitis C virus agent, was found to inhibit HuNoV infection in HIEs at micromolar concentrations. Dasabuvir also inhibited severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and human rotavirus A (RVA) infection in HIEs. To our knowledge, this is the first study to screen an antiviral compound library for HuNoV using HIEs, and we successfully identified dasabuvir as a novel anti-HuNoV inhibitor that warrants further investigation. IMPORTANCE Although there is an urgent need to develop effective antiviral therapy directed against HuNoV infection, compound screening to identify anti-HuNoV drug candidates has not been reported so far. Using a human HIE culture system, our compound screening successfully identified dasabuvir as a novel anti-HuNoV inhibitor. Dasabuvir's inhibitory effect was also demonstrated in the cases of SARS-CoV-2 and RVA infection, highlighting the usefulness of the HIE platform for screening antiviral agents against various viruses that target the intestines.

SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in stool samples from acute gastroenteritis cases, Brazil.

We described the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in stool samples from patients presenting only acute gastroenteritis (AGE) symptoms. From January to July 2020, 121 AGE stool samples were screened by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. We detected SARS-CoV-2 in 27.5% of samples received during the epidemic period. No infectious viruses were observed in Vero E6 cells.