Serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in children≤5years with invasive pneumococcal disease in India - A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of childhood diseases that result in significant morbidity and mortality in India. Commercially licensed and available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) include ten (PCV-10) and 13 (PCV-13) pneumococcal serotypes. Vaccines with other serotype combinations are under development. Reviewing and reporting trends and distribution of pneumococcal serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease in India will be useful for policy making as PCV is being introduced into India's universal immunization program. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of hospital based observational studies (both peer reviewed and gray literature published in English) from India available from January 1990 to December 2016. Studies that documented data on the prevalence of serotype distribution and the antimicrobial resistance pattern of S. pneumoniae in children≤5years of age were included. RESULT: We screened a total number of 116 studies, of which 109 studies were excluded. Final analysis included seven studies. The most frequent pneumococcal serotypes causing invasive disease among children≤5years were 14, 1, 19F, 6B, 5, 6A, 9V and 23F. Serotype 14 and 19A were represented in most of the geographical regions studied in the reviewed articles. Currently available PCV formulations included 67.3-78.4% of all serotypes contributing to IPD among Indian children≤5years. Pneumococcal resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, penicillin, chloramphenicol, levofloxacin and cefotaxime was seen in 81%, 37%, 10%, 8%, 6% and 4% of all pneumococcal isolates respectively, while vancomycin resistance was not reported. CONCLUSION: The present review demonstrates that up to 78.4% of reported invasive pneumococcal disease in children≤5years in India are currently caused by serotypes that are included in the available licensed PCVs. However, sentinel surveillance must be continued in representative parts of the country to assess the changing trends in distribution of pneumococcal serotypes and their implication for vaccine selection and rollout in India.

ROHHAD Syndrome: The Girl who Forgets to Breathe.

BACKGROUND: ROHHAD syndrome is an exceedingly rare cause of central hypoventilation. CASE CHARACTERISTICS: A 7-year-old girl with ROHHAD syndrome who had central hypoventilation, rapid weight gain, multiple cardiac arrests and hyperprolactinemia. OUTCOME: She required prolonged and repeated ventilation, and finally died due to complications of ventilation. MESSAGE: ROHHAD Syndrome should be suspected in any child who presents with obesity, behavioral changes or autonomic instability following a neural crest tumor.

Pharmacy-based dispensing of antimicrobial agents without prescription in India: appropriateness and cost burden in the private sector.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate antibiotic use for treatment of common self-limiting infections is a major problem worldwide. We conducted this study to determine prevalence of non-prescription sale of antimicrobial drugs by pharmacies in Bangalore, India, and to assess their associated avoidable cost within the Indian private healthcare sector. METHODS: Between 2013 and 2014, two researchers visited 261 pharmacies with simulated clinical scenarios; upper respiratory tract infection in an adult and acute gastroenteritis in a child. Using a pre-defined algorithm, the researchers recorded questions asked by the pharmacist, details of medicines dispensed, and instructions regarding drug allergies, dose and side effects. RESULTS: Antimicrobial drugs were obtained without prescription from 174 of 261 (66.7 %) pharmacies visited. Instructions regarding dose of these drugs were given by only 58.0 % pharmacies. Only 18.4 % (16/87) of non-antimicrobial-dispensing pharmacies cited the need for a prescription by a medical practitioner. None gave advice on potential side effects or possible drug allergies. In the upper respiratory infection simulation, 82 (71.3 %) of the 115 pharmacies approached dispensed antimicrobials without a prescription. The most common antimicrobial drug prescribed was amoxicillin (51.2 %), followed by azithromycin and ciprofloxacin (12.2 % each). Among 146 pharmacies where acute gastroenteritis was simulated, 92 (63.0 %) dispensed antimicrobials. Common ones were fluoroquinolones (66.3 %), particularly norfloxacin in combination with metronidazole. Standard treatment for diarrhea such as oral rehydration solution and zinc was prescribed by only 18 of 146 (12.3 %) pharmacies. Assuming the average cost of a 5-day course of common antimicrobials in India is $1.93, with 2.5 and 2.1 annual episodes of adult upper respiratory and childhood gastrointestinal infections respectively, and with 30-45 % of the population of 1.3 billion visiting pharmacies, the estimated cost of unnecessary antimicrobial drugs dispensed by pharmacies in India would range from $1.1 to 1.7 billion. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that dispensing of antimicrobial drugs without prescription by pharmacies in the private sector in India within an urban setting was unacceptably high, thus placing a high burden on healthcare expenditure. There is an urgent need to institute measures to curb unnecessary antimicrobial usage in India, address market incentives and involve pharmacists as partners for creating awareness among communities.

Factor v deficiency: a subtle presentation.

Congenital factor V deficiency (also known as labile factor or proaccelerin) is a rather uncommon [1:1000,000] inherited coagulopathy (autosomal recessive inheritance). Affected patients become symptomatic in early childhood with spontaneous or post-traumatic bleeding complications. The authors report an infant who presented with a much feared complication of the same probably as a neonatal presentation.