ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Enteroviruses are a type of RNA-strained virus with more than 100 different genotypes. Infection can be asymptomatic, and, if any, symptoms can range from mild to severe. Some patients can develop neurological involvement, such as aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, or even cardiorespiratory failure. However, in children, the risk factors for developing severe neurological involvement are not well understood. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze some characteristics associated with severe neurological involvement in children hospitalized for neurological disease after enterovirus infection. METHODS: retrospective observational study analyzing clinical, microbiological and radiological data of 174 children hospitalized from 2009 to 2019 in our hospital. Patients were classified according to the World Health Organization case definition for neurological complications in hand, foot and mouth disease. RESULTS: Our findings showed that, in children between 6 months old and 2 years of age, the appearance of neurological symptoms within the first 12h from infection onset-especially if associated with skin rash-was a significant risk factor for severe neurological involvement. Detection of enterovirus in cerebrospinal fluid was more likely in patients with aseptic meningitis. By contrast, other biological samples (e.g., feces or nasopharyngeal fluids) were necessary to detect enterovirus in patients with encephalitis. The genotype most commonly associated with the most severe neurological conditions was EV-A71. E-30 was mostly associated with aseptic meningitis. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the risk factors associated with worse neurological outcomes could help clinicians to better manage these patients to avoid unnecessary admissions and/or ancillary tests.
ABSTRACT
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disorder characterized by abnormal development of retinal blood vessels in premature infants. It has been associated with several risk factors, but the main factor is gestational age. Several studies have recently reported a possible link between ROP and postnatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. The authors present 4 patients who developed severe ROP following postnatal CMV infection. ROP was successfully resolved with antiviral treatment in all 4 cases. Postnatal CMV infection could be responsible for the worsening of ROP. Antiviral therapy may improve the prognosis of ROP and avoid the need for more aggressive therapies.
Subject(s)
Cytomegalovirus Infections , Retinopathy of Prematurity , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Cytomegalovirus , Cytomegalovirus Infections/complications , Cytomegalovirus Infections/diagnosis , Cytomegalovirus Infections/drug therapy , Gestational Age , Humans , Infant , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Retinopathy of Prematurity/complications , Retinopathy of Prematurity/diagnosis , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Between the years 2007 and 2009 a hitherto unknown fabriciid species was found in the Lower Uruguay River, Argentina. Initially, it was assumed that this species could represent Manayunkia speciosa, a freshwater species originally described from North America. However, re-examinations have revealed that these specimens are clearly different from M. speciosa but they resemble Monroika africana. However, differences were also found that clearly distinguish this South American species from the African species so that it is described here as M. clarae sp. nov. The characters found in Monroika clarae sp. nov. make it also possible to compare and discuss these characters with those from the West African species Monroika africana, the Southeast Asian species Brandtika asiatica as well as Manayunkia species in terms of their systematic position. This mainly concerns the structure of the radiolar crown, the number of abdominal chaetigers, the presence of transitional chaetae as well as the structure of the thoracic and abdominal uncini. Potential origins of the freshwater Fabriciidae are also discussed.
Subject(s)
Polychaeta/anatomy & histology , Polychaeta/classification , Rivers , Animals , ArgentinaABSTRACT
Los cultivos realizados con S. lacustris demostraron que la temperatura juega un papel de importancia en la tasa de la reproducción, en cuanto al número de zooides producido por individuo así como también al tamaño alcanzado por los mismos. Por otro lado, regularía la tasa de crecimiento y la reproducción sexual, dando lugar a la madurez de los individuos cuando aumenta la temperatura. El tiempo de vida promedio de los individuos inmaduros se estimó en 15 días, siendo este valor independiente de la temperatura utilizada en los cultivos. Los individuos maduros vivieron en promedio 37 días. La supervivencia en S. lacustris fue decreciendo gradualmente, según una curva de tipo lll. La expectativa de vida presentó su pico a la edad de 16 días y se mantuvo aproximadamente constante hasta una edad de 28 días a partir de la cual fue decreciendo en forma persistente hasta la última edad alcanzada. Se estimó el crecimiento individual, según la ecuación de von Bertalanffy, para los organismos mantenidos a 23 ± 2 ºC y a 14 ± 1 ºC. En aquellos individuos cultivados a mayor temperatura se registró una mayor talla, aunque su tasa de crecimiento fue menor que la de los individuos mantenidos a 14 ºC.
The experiments carried out with S. lacustris showed that the temperature plays a role of importance in the rate of asexual reproduction, as for the number of zooids produced by individual, as well as to the size reached by them. On the other hand, it would regulate the rate of growth and the sexual reproduction, giving place to the maturity of the individuals when temperature increases. The life time of the immature individuals was estimated in 15 days, being this independent of the temperature used in the cultures. The mature individuals lived on the average 37 days. The survival in S. lacustris was falling gradually, following a curve of type lll. Life expectancy presented its major value at the age of 16 days and stayed approximately constant up to an age of 28 days, after then falled persistently until the last reached age. The individual growth according to von Bertalanffy equation, was estimated for the organisms maintained at 23 ± 2 ºC and at 14 ± 1 ºC. Those individuals cultivated at higher temperature attained a bigger size, although their rate of growth was smaller than those maintained at 14 ºC.
