Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in children: experience in two hospitals.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is the most significant current public health crisis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case series, including patients under 18 years of age admitted to respiratory triage and hospitalized with COVID-19 infection in two hospital centers. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and radiological findings were documented. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For the analysis, patients were classified into three groups: no comorbidities, immunocompromised, and with chronic disease. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients with COVID-19 were identified: 40 (74.1%) were admitted through respiratory triage. Of these, 28 (70%) were hospitalized, and 14 (25.9%) were already in the hospital. In addition, 26 (48.1%) presented comorbidities. A mild clinical course was observed in 14 cases (53.7%). The mean age was 6 years, with an interquartile range from 11 months to 13 years. The male sex was more frequent, representing 59.3%. Fever was the most common symptom in 74% of the patients. Lymphopenia was observed in 28.6%, and 69.3% had elevated C-reactive protein. Ground glass injuries were documented in 30.9% of COVID-19 cases; 11.1% of the patients required mechanical ventilation and vasopressor treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Fever was the main symptom, and mild infection was the principal presentation. In hospitalized patients with some comorbidity and COVID-19, the disease was more severe, with a high percentage of mortality.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La pandemia de COVID-19 es la mayor crisis de salud pública actual. MÉTODOS: Análisis de una serie de casos retrospectiva de pacientes menores de 18 años que ingresaron al triaje respiratorio y de pacientes hospitalizados con COVID-19 en dos centros hospitalarios. Se registraron variables epidemiológicas, clínicas, de laboratorio y radiológicas. El diagnóstico de COVID-19 fue confirmado por reacción en cadena de la polimerasa con transcriptasa inversa en tiempo real (RT-PCR). Para el análisis, los pacientes se clasificaron en tres grupos: sin comorbilidad, inmunocomprometidos y con enfermedad crónica. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 54 pacientes con COVID-19, de los cuales 40 (74.1%) ingresaron por el triaje respiratorio y, de estos, 28 (70%) fueron hospitalizados y 14 (25.9%) ya estaban hospitalizados; 26 pacientes (48.1%) presentaban comorbilidad. El curso clínico leve se observó con mayor frecuencia, en 14 casos (53.7%). La mediana de edad fue de 6 años (rango intercuartílico: 11 meses a 13 años). El sexo masculino fue más frecuente, con el 59.3%. La fiebre fue el síntoma más común, en el 74% de los pacientes. Se observó linfocitopenia en el 28.6%, y el 69.3% presentaron elevación de la proteína C reactiva. Las lesiones en vidrio esmerilado se documentaron en el 30.9% de los casos y el 11.1% de los pacientes requirieron ventilación mecánica y tratamiento vasopresor. CONCLUSIONES: La fiebre fue el síntoma principal y la presentación leve de la enfermedad fue la más frecuente. En los pacientes hospitalizados con alguna comorbilidad e infectados por COVID-19, la gravedad de la enfermedad fue mayor, con un alto porcentaje de mortalidad.

Surveillance of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Diarrhea Cases from Children, Adults and Elderly at Northwest of Mexico.

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) strains are a main cause of gastrointestinal disease in developing countries. In this study we report the epidemiologic surveillance in a 4-year period (January 2011 to December 2014) of DEC strains causing acute diarrhea throughout the Sinaloa State, Mexico. DEC strains were isolated from outpatients of all ages with acute diarrhea (N = 1,037). Specific DEC pathotypes were identified by PCR-amplification of genes encoding virulence factors. The adhesion phenotype and antibiotic resistance were also investigated. DEC strains were detected in 23.3% (242/1037) of cases. The most frequently DEC strain isolated was EAEC [(12.2%), 126/242] followed by EPEC [(5.1%), 53/242], ETEC [(4.3%), 43/242] DAEC [(1.4%), 15/242], STEC [(0.3%), 3/242], and EIEC [(0.2%), 2/242]. EHEC strains were not detected. Overall DEC strains were more prevalent in children ≤2 years of age with EPEC strains the most common of DEC pathotypes. While ∼65% of EAEC strains were classified as typical variant based on the aggregative adherence to in vitro cultures of HEp-2 cells, a high proportion of EPEC strains was classified as atypical strains. EAEC, EPEC, ETEC, and DAEC strains were distributed in the north, central and south regions of Sinaloa state. Among all DEC strains, >90% were resistant to at least one commonly prescribed antibiotic. Strains were commonly resistant to first-line antibiotics such as tetracycline, ampicillin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Furthermore, more than 80% of DEC isolates were multi-drug resistant and EPEC and DAEC were the categories with major proportion of this feature. In conclusion, in nearly one out of four cases of acute diarrhea in Northwestern Mexico a multi-drug resistant DEC strain was isolated, in these cases EAEC was the most prevalent (52%) pathotype.

Strategies of Vibrio parahaemolyticus to acquire nutritional iron during host colonization.

Iron is an essential element for the growth and development of virtually all living organisms. As iron acquisition is critical for the pathogenesis, a host defense strategy during infection is to sequester iron to restrict the growth of invading pathogens. To counteract this strategy, bacteria such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus have adapted to such an environment by developing mechanisms to obtain iron from human hosts. This review focuses on the multiple strategies employed by V. parahaemolyticus to obtain nutritional iron from host sources. In these strategies are included the use of siderophores and xenosiderophores, proteases and iron-protein receptor. The host sources used by V. parahaemolyticus are the iron-containing proteins transferrin, hemoglobin, and hemin. The implications of iron acquisition systems in the virulence of V. parahaemolyticus are also discussed.