ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen in paediatric patients with bloodstream infections. The epidemiology of S. aureus bacteraemia, however, has not been well documented in children in South Africa. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at a children's hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, to investigate the epidemiology of S. aureus bacteraemia from 2007-2011. The incidence, clinical presentation, risk factors, management and outcomes of methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia were compared. RESULTS: Over the five year study period, 365 episodes of S. aureus bacteraemia were identified. The annual incidence was 3.28 cases per 1000 hospital admissions. MRSA was responsible for 26% of S. aureus bacteraemia and 72% of nosocomial infections. Only six possible cases of community-acquired MRSA infections were described. MSSA bacteraemia was more likely to present as pulmonary and bone or joint infections, while bacteraemia without a source was the most common presentation with MRSA. Infants, children with malnutrition, and residents of long-term care facilities were at highest risk for MRSA bacteraemia. The overall case fatality rate for S. aureus bacteraemia was 8.8% over five years, with MRSA being the only significant risk factor for mortality. CONCLUSION: The incidence of S. aureus bacteraemia and MRSA bacteraemia in children has remained stable over the past five years. MRSA is a predominantly nosocomial pathogen in children with S. aureus bacteraemia in Cape Town, South Africa.
Subject(s)
Bacteremia , Cross Infection , Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcal Infections , Tertiary Care Centers , Adolescent , Bacteremia/epidemiology , Bacteremia/microbiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross Infection/epidemiology , Cross Infection/microbiology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Retrospective Studies , South Africa/epidemiology , Staphylococcal Infections/epidemiology , Staphylococcal Infections/microbiologyABSTRACT
Introducción: La inmunización de los niños VIH positivos es un campo de rápida evolución ya que la terapia antirretroviral(TAR) se encuentra más fácilmente disponible en los países en vías de desarrollo. Se ha descrito adecuadamente que los pacientes infectados por el VIH presentan respuestas inmunogénicas subóptimas frente a las vacunas pediátricas de rutina. Métodos: Este artículo es una revisión de la bibliografía publicada en los últimos 10 años acerca de la inmunización de los niños que reciben TAR, con énfasis específico en las reinmunizaciones. Resultados y discusión: La revacunación es claramente necesaria, pero no se han establecido con claridad los métodos óptimos. Existen también dos grupos diferentes de niños a considerar: los que iniciaron la TAR durante la primera infancia, cuando se administran las primeras series de vacunas, y aquellos que inician la TAR después del primer año de vida. Las investigaciones recientes sugieren que el inicio temprano de la TAR durante la infancia preserva la función de los linfocitos B y la memoria de la respuesta a las vacunas, lo que resulta en protección prolongada. No se definió la necesidad de las dosis de refuerzo después de la inmunización primaria en estos niños. Aquellos que iniciaron la TAR después del primer año de vida requieren repetir las series de vacunas iniciales o múltiples dosis de refuerzo debido a deficiencias inmunitarias funcionales. Conclusiones: La reinmunización dirigida sobre la base de la cuantificación de los títulos de anticuerpos, de los análisis de la proliferación de linfocitos, o ambos, no es posible en países con recursos limitados. En estos contextos, deberían proponerse normativas de reinmunización de rutina sin una pesquisa de laboratorio previa.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Anti-Retroviral Agents , Immunization/instrumentation , Immunization , Child Health , SAIDS Vaccines/administration & dosage , SAIDS Vaccines/classification , SAIDS Vaccines/therapeutic useABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The epidemiology of primary immunodeficiencies (PID) is not well documented in Africa. The objective of this study was to describe the spectrum of PID at a tertiary paediatric centre in South Africa. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 168 patients diagnosed with PID from 1983 to 2009. RESULTS: Over the study period, antibody deficiencies predominated (51%) followed by well-defined syndromes (24%). Common variable immunodeficiency was the commonest antibody deficiency. The mean age of diagnosis was 51 months overall but decreased significantly to 35 months over the last 9 years. Recurrent infections were the most common presenting complaint (74%). The overall mortality rate was 25% while combined immunodeficiencies accounted for 40% of the deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The spectrum of PID in South Africa was similar to international trends. The declining mean age of diagnosis indicated improved recognition of PID. Future research should focus on identifying children with PID more effectively.
Subject(s)
Common Variable Immunodeficiency/epidemiology , Common Variable Immunodeficiency/mortality , Hospitals, Pediatric/statistics & numerical data , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Common Variable Immunodeficiency/physiopathology , Common Variable Immunodeficiency/therapy , Female , Humans , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/mortality , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/physiopathology , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/therapy , Infant , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Prevalence , South Africa/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: While the impact of HAART on growth in children is well established, the influence of prior nutritional status on the response to HAART is not well known. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 120 children in South Africa. Patients were divided into 3 groups (normal, moderately underweight, and severely underweight) based on weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ). Age, weight, height, CD4 cell percentage, and viral load were recorded at initiation of HAART and after 24 months of therapy. Data were analyzed using t-tests, chi tests, and one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: At baseline, 58% of children were normal weight, 18% moderately underweight, and 23% severely underweight. After 24 months of HAART, WAZ improved significantly in moderately and severely underweight patient groups compared with the normal group. Height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) increased in all 3 groups with severely underweight children gaining more height than normal weight counterparts. Weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ) normalized in the severely underweight group. Mean CD4 cell percentages increased significantly in all 3 groups while viral loads decreased significantly in all groups with no differences among the groups at the end of 24 months of therapy. Of the entire cohort, 75% achieved undetectable HIV RNA viral loads. CONCLUSIONS: Underlying malnutrition does not adversely affect growth, immunologic or virologic response to HAART in HIV-infected children. Underweight children exhibit an equally robust response to treatment as their well-nourished peers.