New coronavirus infection in pediatric practice: clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19 in the city of Smolensk.

The aim of the study was to study the clinical and epidemiological features of the new COVID-19 coronavirus infection in children hospitalized in the infectious department. Material and methods. 249 case histories of patients from 0 to 18 years of age who are on inpatient treatment at <<Clinical Hospital N1>> in Smolensk for the period from April 2020 to July 2022 were studied by the continuous sampling method. Verification of a new coronavirus infection was carried out by examining smears from the nasopharynx and oropharynx for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR. Results. The prevalence of patients from 1 to 3 (19.3%, 49.1%) and from 6-15 (15.8%, 50.5%) years was revealed both in 2020 and in 2021 and the first half of 2022. No significant differences in gender were found. The largest number of cases in 2020 was registered in April (16%) and November (14%), in 2021 - in December (18%) and November (16%). The prevailing severity in both 2020 and 2021, 2022 was the average severity (63%, 72%, 93%, respectively). The main syndromes of COVID-19 have been identified: intoxication syndrome, respiratory catarrhal syndrome, bronchopulmonary, intestinal. Bilateral pneumonia was most often detected (47% in 2020, 44% in 2021, 62% in 2022), right-sided pneumonia (33% in 2020, 30% in 2021, 31% in 2022), and left-sided pneumonia (20%, 26% and 7%, respectively). The main co-morbid pathologies are noted, and cases of somatic diseases first registered against the background of COVID-19 are described.Copyright © Children Infections.All rights reserved

Post-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19: results of double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical study evaluation of efficacy and safety of double-stranded sodium salt RNA drug

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an RNA double-stranded sodium salt drug, a lyophilisate for a solution preparation for an intramuscular and subcutaneous administration, as a means of post-exposure COVID-19 prophylaxis in comparison with placebo.Material and methods. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, randomized phase III clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a double-stranded sodium salt RNA drug (RADAM IN (R) VIRO), a lyophilisate for preparing a solution for intramuscular and subcutaneous administration as a means of post-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19. The study was conducted in 10 research centers in the Russian Federation from May 31, 2022 to January 17, 2023. The study included men and women aged =18 years who cohabitate with a person with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis and do not have symptoms characteristic of COVID-19. At the randomization stage, the subjects were assigned to one of two groups: group 1 (n=400) received a study drug RADAM IN (R) VIRO 5 mg (1 vial) intramuscularly once a day;group 2 (n=400) received placebo 1 vial intramuscularly once a day. The total duration of the study for each subject was no more than 30 days.Results. By day 10-11, in the double-stranded sodium salt RNA drug group, the proportion of the subjects with confirmed COVID-19 and at least 1 symptom characteristic of COVID-19 was 5.76% (23/399), and in the placebo group - 11.03% (44/399). The difference in proportions between the study drug and placebo groups was 0.0526 (5.26%), the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference in proportions between the groups was [0.0123;0.0937]). More than 94% of single-dose subjects did not become infected with COVID-19 with any symptoms during the 11 days of the follow-up. As a result of a comparative analysis, it was shown that the infection frequency in the study drug group was statistically significantly (almost twice) less than in the comparison group, which indicates a high efficiency and expediency of using the double-stranded sodium salt RNA drug as a means of the post-exposure COVID-19 prophylaxis.Conclusion. Thus, regardless of the vaccination availability, the effectiveness and feasibility of using the study double -stranded sodium salt RNA drug as a means of the post-exposure COVID-19 prophylaxis was demonstrated not only in medical institutions (outpatient clinics and hospitals), but also in caregivers and/or the persons in contact with COVID-19 patients. The situation was the same in the organizations and enterprises in case of evolution of a mass infection threat and the availability of appropriate medical personnels.

Consumption of systemic antibiotics in the Russian Federation in 2017-2021.

Objective. To assess level and the structure of systemic antibiotic consumption in Russia over the period 2017 to 2021. Materials and methods. Data were collected and analysed in compliance with the standard protocol of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe by the means of ATC/DDD methodology for J01 group - antibacterials for systemic use. Consumption was calculated for outpatients and inpatients separately as a number of DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) for the main classes of antibiotics and the agents with the highest or the most diverse consumption levels for the given period of time, and was based on the data of wholesale purchases and public tenders. Results. Antibiotic consumption in Russia in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 was 16.6 DID, 14.3 DID, 14.8 DID, 19 DID, and 15.7 DID respectively. Penicillins, macrolides and lincosamides, and quinolones had the highest levels of consumption in outpatients. Prominent increase in outpatient consumption of antibacterials in 2020 was related to three agents: azithromycin, levofloxacin and ceftriaxone. Cephalosporins (mainly III-V generations), quinolones and penicillins had the highest levels of consumption in inpatients. Hospital consumption of meropenem, tigecycline, and vancomycin increased and amikacin and ciprofloxacin decreased over the duration of the study. Conclusions. Levels of systemic antibiotic consumption in Russia for the period 2017 to 2019 were relatively low and consistent with the average means for European Union and European Economic Area countries. The steep increase in consumption in 2020 was probably due to the wide use of antibiotics for the management of COVID-19 patients. The results of the study can be of value for the development of targeted national antibiotic stewardship programs and awareness campaigns as well as for the analysis of trends of emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.Copyright © 2022, Interregional Association for Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Consumption of systemic antibiotics in the Russian Federation in 2017–2021

Objective. To assess level and the structure of systemic antibiotic consumption in Russia over the period 2017 to 2021. Materials and methods. Data were collected and analysed in compliance with the standard protocol of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe by the means of ATC/DDD methodology for J01 group – antibacterials for systemic use. Consumption was calculated for outpatients and inpatients separately as a number of DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) for the main classes of antibiotics and the agents with the highest or the most diverse consumption levels for the given period of time, and was based on the data of wholesale purchases and public tenders. Results. Antibiotic consumption in Russia in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 was 16.6 DID, 14.3 DID, 14.8 DID, 19 DID, and 15.7 DID respectively. Penicillins, macrolides and lincosamides, and quinolones had the highest levels of consumption in outpatients. Prominent increase in outpatient consumption of antibacterials in 2020 was related to three agents: azithromycin, levofloxacin and ceftriaxone. Cephalosporins (mainly III–V generations), quinolones and penicillins had the highest levels of consumption in inpatients. Hospital consumption of meropenem, tigecycline, and vancomycin increased and amikacin and ciprofloxacin decreased over the duration of the study. Conclusions. Levels of systemic antibiotic consumption in Russia for the period 2017 to 2019 were relatively low and consistent with the average means for European Union and European Economic Area countries. The steep increase in consumption in 2020 was probably due to the wide use of antibiotics for the management of COVID-19 patients. The results of the study can be of value for the development of targeted national antibiotic stewardship programs and awareness campaigns as well as for the analysis of trends of emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. © 2022, Interregional Association for Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

The effect of morbid obesity on the outcome of COVID-19 in a child

Numerous works of domestic and foreign colleagues have proved that obesity is an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 among patients of all age groups. Of particular interest is the study of the effect of overweight on the course of a new coronavirus infection in children and adolescents. Objective. Demonstration of a clinical case of fatal outcome of COVID-19 in a patient with morbid obesity;analysis and generalization of current data on the effect of obesity on the course of a new coronavirus infection in pediatric patients. The article presents a general understanding of the pathogenetic relationship between the two pathologies, as well as a case of a fatal outcome of a new coronavirus infection in a 9-year-old 4-month-old girl with morbid obesity (BMI - 39 kg/m2, SDS BMI +4.98sigma). Emphasis is placed on the lack of parallelism between the results of the procalcitonin test and the development of the septic process. Conclusion. Studies of domestic and foreign colleagues, as well as the clinical case we have cited, confirm that morbid obesity is a risk factor for the adverse course of COVID-19 in children. Copyright © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.

Diagnostics and antimicrobial therapy of the infections caused by multiresistant microorganisms (update 2022)

Strains of microorganisms characterized by resistance to antimicrobial drugs used in medical organizations continue to spread In most regions of the world including Russia. It is clear that it affects both the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy and tactics and strategy of its use not only in adults patients but also in children. The pandemic of coronavirus infection, in addition, highlighted the growing problems in treatment of invasive mycoses, the dose adjustment of antibiotics during sorption and dialysis therapy methods. These circumstances made it necessary to make adjustments to Guidelines on Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Therapy of Infections Caused by Multiresistant Strains of Microorganisms, which were prepared by a group of leading Russian experts in 2020 [1]. The submitted version of the recommendations was approved on 25.03.2022 at a joint meeting of the working group with representatives of public organizations: Association of Anesthesiologists-Intensivists, the Interregional Non-Governmental Organization Alliance of Clinical Chemotherapists and Microbiologists, the Interregional Association for Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (IACMAC), and NGO Russian Sepsis Forum. These recommendations reflect an interdisciplinary consensus opinion on approaches to the diagnosis and antimicrobial therapy of infections caused by multiresistant microorganisms. They are based on data from publications obtained from randomized trials as well as based on international clinical guidelines with a high degree of evidence. It is rational to use the Guidelines for determining the tactics of empirical and etiotropic therapy of the most severe infections. © 2022 by the authors.