Epidemiology of endemic human coronavirus infection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a member of the coronavirus family that also includes endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) types OC43, HKU1, 229E, and NL63. HCoVs share extensive sequence homology with SARS-CoV-2. It has been assumed that HCoV infection occur primarily in winter and spring in Japan before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and that its frequency is the same for all age groups. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected for HCoVs and SARS-CoV-2. All medical data were retrospectively analyzed. Our primary objective was to describe the epidemiology of HCoV in the Furano, Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our secondary objective was to compare the prevalence of HCoV with that of SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: From September 2020 to August 2022, 113 (6.2 %) of 1823 cases were positive for any HCoV. The HCoV-NL63 activity peaked in January-March 2021. The HCoV-OC43 activity peaked in June-August 2021. HCoVs were mostly detected at age ≤11 years and most frequently at age ≤2 years. HCoVs showed high detection in 2021, while SARS-CoV-2 showed moderate detection in 2020-2021, but significantly increased in 2022. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, HCoV-OC43 activity peaked in the summer. The frequency of HCoV infection varied widely by age group and was higher among those aged ≤11 years. These were different from those reported before the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest that the disease dynamics of HCoVs remain unclear and that continued surveillance is essential in the post-COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical effectiveness of baloxavir marboxil against influenza in three seasons.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have not clarified the difference in clinical efficacy between baloxavir and oseltamivir against influenza. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed during 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 influenza seasons. The primary endpoint of this study was to compare the duration of fever between patients who received baloxavir and those who received oseltamivir. RESULTS: A total of 235 influenza-infected patients (3-18 years of age), including 91 who received oseltamivir and 144 who received baloxavir, were enrolled. The proportions of influenza A(H3N2) virus, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, and influenza B virus-infected patients were 31.5%, 42.6%, and 26.0%, respectively. Patients who received oseltamivir were significantly younger than those who received baloxavir. Univariate analyses showed that the duration of fever was shorter with baloxavir than with oseltamivir against influenza virus overall, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, but not for influenza A(H3N2) virus. In multivariate analyses, hazard ratios for influenza virus overall (0.53 [95% CI, 0.38-0.73]), influenza B virus (0.16 [95% CI, 0.07-0.41]), and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus (0.55 [95% CI, 0.32-0.93]) were significantly lower in the patients who received baloxavir than those who received oseltamivir. However, the differences between influenza A virus and influenza A(H3N2) virus were not significant between the two groups. CONCLUSION: For influenza virus overall, influenza B virus, and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, baloxavir treatment resulted in shorter duration of fever than oseltamivir treatment, but not for influenza A virus and influenza A(H3N2) virus.

The First Pediatric Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japan: Risk of Co-Infection with Other Respiratory Viruses.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and has a high mortality rate. The disease emerged from Wuhan, China, in late 2019, and spread to Japan, including Hokkaido, in January 2020. In February 2020, 3 children were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan. During this period, influenza and human metapneumovirus infections were prevalent among children in the Furano region. Two of the 3 patients experienced co-infection with other respiratory viruses, including influenza virus A or human metapneumovirus. To the authors' knowledge, the cases described in the present report were the first pediatric patients with COVID-19 in Japan. In children with COVID-19, the possibility of co-infection with other respiratory pathogens should be considered.

Acute Pharyngitis Associated With Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis in Children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The importance of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) in causing sporadic pharyngitis in children remains controversial. The aims of this study were (1) to report the incidence and (2) to compare the epidemiologic and clinical features of patients with SDSE to those with Streptococcus pyogenes (SP). METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on acute pharyngitis associated with SDSE in children over a 2-year period. SDSE was identified using a phenotypic method, M protein gene (emm) analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Patients with positive SDSE or SP cultures received cephalosporins for 5 days and were followed up. The emm genotyping and specific virulence genes analyses were performed. RESULTS: From 3416 throat cultures, 67 isolates (2.0%) were identified as SDSE and 515 (15.1%) were identified as SP. The mean age of patients with SDSE (8.3 years) was older than those with SP (6.6 years; P < 0.01). There was minimal seasonal variation in the isolation rates of SDSE. The febrile patients' rates, gender distribution, cervical lymph node adenopathy rates, hospitalization rates, eradication and failure rates and the nonsuppurative sequelae between patients with SDSE and SP were similar. All SDSE isolates possessed important virulence genes. The emm genotyping of SDSE showed high strain diversity. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of acute pharyngitis associated with accurately identified SDSE was 2/15 of that with SP. Epidemiologic and clinical features of acute pharyngitis associated with SDSE are indistinguishable from those with SP, with the exception of age and seasonal variation.

Clinical findings in 10 children with H275Y influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the clinical effectiveness of neuraminidase inhibitors against H275Y influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. A cluster of H275Y influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus with cross-resistance to oseltamivir and peramivir was detected among untreated community patients in Hokkaido, Japan, during the 2013-2014 influenza season. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study. Specimens from nasopharyngeal swabs underwent rapid testing and single-nucleotide polymorphism identification on real-time polymerase chain reaction. We collected clinical data from the H275Y group and a 275H wild-type comparison group. All children were given one of four neuraminidase inhibitors. RESULTS: Twenty-eight children infected with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus were analyzed. Ten viruses had the H275Y substitution, while the other 18 had wild-type 275H. Mean fever duration after treatment and after onset was 25.3 h (95%CI: 14.1-36.5) and 48.9 h (95%CI: 34.4-63.3) in the H275Y group, respectively, and 26.1 h (95%CI: 18.7-33.6) and 46.3 h (95%CI: 35.7-56.8) in the 275H group, respectively. In the H275Y group, three patients were treated with oseltamivir, one with peramivir, five with zanamivir, and one with laninamivir. All of them had mild symptoms and received only outpatient care. Fever duration was 7.5-21.0 h and 18.0-66.0 h after treatment and after onset, respectively, in the patients treated with oseltamivir and peramivir, and 20.5-42.0 h and 42.0-88.0 h, respectively, in those treated with zanamivir and laninamivir. CONCLUSION: Fever in the H275Y children treated with oseltamivir and peramivir resolved rapidly during the 2013-2014 influenza season.

Genetic point-of-care diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection using LAMP assay.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a major pathogen of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children. A rapid diagnostic method during the acute phase is required for the prescription of effective antibiotics. METHODS: A prospective, single-centered study was conducted on community-acquired LRTI in children. We regarded the day of fever onset as the first day of illness. In part 1, we studied 191 patients with signs of LRTI. We compared diagnostic reliability using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay and serological testing at the first visit. In part 2, we evaluated the clinical characteristics of 117 patients with positive LAMP assay. RESULTS: In part 1, 31 patients met the definite MP infection criteria. LAMP assay had a sensitivity of 96.8% and specificity of 100%, whereas enzyme immunoassay had a sensitivity of 38.7% and specificity of 76.9%, and particle agglutination test had a sensitivity of 19.4% and specificity of 93.1%. In part 2, of 106 patients with fever, 100 patients were diagnosed by the day 7 of illness. The diagnosis was made a mean of 3.5 ± 2.1 days after the onset of fever. CONCLUSIONS: LAMP assay had excellent sensitivity and specificity for the detection of acute MP infection at the first visit. This assay can diagnose MP infection during the very acute phase. LAMP assay is appropriate for genetic point-of-care diagnosis of MP infection in hospital laboratories.

The role of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of congestive heart failure in children. - Correlation with the heart failure score and comparison with B-type natriuretic peptide -.

BACKGROUND: Both B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) are useful biomarkers for the assessment of congestive heart failure (CHF) in adults. The purpose of this study was to determine whether BNP and NT-proBNP levels could be used to stratify the severity of CHF in children. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study comprised 181 children with CHF and 232 healthy children aged from 4 months to 14 years who were categorized into CHF grades I, II, III and IV according to the modified Ross scoring system. The plasma BNP and serum NT-proBNP levels were significantly correlated with increasing CHF grades. The NT-proBNP levels were significantly different among the 4 CHF grades. However, only 2 significant differences were observed in the BNP levels between each CHF grade. NT-proBNP testing with cut-off points of >438 pg/ml (> or =grade II), >1,678 pg/ml (> or =grade III) and >7,734 pg/ml (grade IV) in the patients below 3 years of age, and >295 pg/ml (> or =grade II), >1,545 pg/ml (> or =grade III) and >3,617 pg/ml (grade IV) in those above 3 years of age was determined to be highly sensitive and specific by receiver operating characteristic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The blood levels of BNP and NT-proBNP therefore reflect the severity of CHF in children. In particular, NT-proBNP is a useful biomarker for evaluating CHF in children.