Post-discharge follow-up of pediatric COVID-19 patients: insights into serological dynamics.

Introduction: Limited data are available regarding SARS-CoV-2 serological response dynamics in pediatric patients with COVID-19, contributing to gaps in our understanding of the immune response in this population. This study aimed to investigate SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 during hospitalization and 2-4 weeks after discharge. Methods: A cohort of patients, consisting of 31 individuals with confirmed acute COVID-19 infection and 27 diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), was enrolled in the study. Follow-up clinic appointments were scheduled for 2-4 weeks post-discharge. During admission and follow-up, blood samples were collected from each patient for laboratory analysis. Anti-nucleoprotein SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were determined using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Results: In this study, a cohort of 58 patients was examined. At admission, 52% (n = 14) of MIS-C patients and 10% (n = 3) of acute COVID-19 patients had positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG test. Only 48 cases were referred to the hospital, and follow-up data was available for 20 cases with MIS-C and 28 cases with acute COVID-19. All patients (n = 15) who initially tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG at admission remained positive serology during follow-up (100%). Among the 33 patients who initially tested negative, 12 (37.5%) showed a positive serology result during follow-up, while 21 (62.5%) remained negative. Within this subgroup, 11 cases (44%) were diagnosed with acute COVID-19, and one patient (12.5%) presented with MIS-C. Fourteen cases with acute COVID-19 infection (56%) and seven cases with MIS-C (87.5%) consistently showed negative serology results throughout the study. During follow-up, the median lymphocyte count demonstrated a significant difference, with 0.96 × 109 cells per L (IQR: 0.75-3.0 × 109 cells per L) in the SARS-CoV-2 IgG-negative group and 2.9 × 109 cells per L (IQR = 1.33-7.22 × 109 cells per L) in the SARS-CoV-2 IgG-positive group (p-value = 0.03). Patients who demonstrated seropositivity during the follow-up were associated with a notably severe disease (p-value = 0.028). Conclusion: Our study highlights the dynamic nature of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody responses in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection. We observed a notable increase in seropositivity rates during follow-up. Furthermore, patients who were seropositive at follow-up demonstrated a severe disease course and lower lymphocyte counts compared to those with persistently negative serology. Our findings underscore the importance of longitudinal serological monitoring in understanding disease progression and immune response dynamics in pediatric COVID-19 cases.

Changing Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bacterial Childhood Diarrhea: Insights from a 7-Year Study in an Iranian Referral Hospital.

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) poses a significant public health challenge for children in developing countries. Considering the high prevalence of AGE in Iranian children, the aim of this study was to investigate and analyze the patterns and changes in bacterial identification as well as antibiotic resistance in AG over the course of 7 years. From January 2015 to December 2021, a total of 15,300 pediatric patients with AGE were admitted to the Children's Medical Center, an Iranian academic referral hospital, Tehran, Iran. Among these cases, 8.9% (1329 individuals) yielded positive stool cultures. The predominant bacterial etiology of AGE was identified as Shigella sonnei (n = 424, 31.9%), and Salmonella group D (n = 367, 27.6%), followed by Shigella flexneri: 16.3% (217 cases), Salmonella group C (n = 152, 11.4%), Salmonella group B (n = 91, 6.8%), Escherichia coli (n = 65, 4.9%), Shigella boydii (n = 10, 0.75%), and Shigella dysenteriae (n = 3, 0.2%). Notably, S. sonnei exhibited high resistance rates to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (97.6%) and nalidixic acid (95.3%). S. flexneri and S. boydii isolates displayed significant resistance to ampicillin (96.8% and 88.9%, respectively). Salmonella group D demonstrated elevated resistance to ciprofloxacin (81.3%) and nalidixic acid (88.5%), with notable sensitivity to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cefotaxime (97.3% and 97.5%, respectively). E. coli displayed resistance rates of 80%, 74%, and 66% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin, respectively. The fluctuating prevalence of S. sonnei and Salmonella group D, two predominant bacterial isolates associated with AGE, underscores the dynamic nature of these pathogens. The notable increase in antibiotic resistance observed in S. sonnei raises concerns, underscoring the critical need for judicious and careful antibiotic use.

High prevalence of carbapenem resistance and clonal expansion of blaNDM gene in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in an Iranian referral pediatric hospital.

BACKGROUND: The increasing global concern regarding antibiotic resistance necessitates in-depth studies to comprehend the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of resistant bacterial strains. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, antibiotic resistance profiles, and molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) isolates in an Iranian referral pediatrics hospital. METHODS: In this study, we examined CRKP isolates collected from hospitalized pediatric patients across various wards. The isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for carbapenemase genes (blaNDM, blaVIM and blaIMP), and genetic relatedness assessment using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). RESULTS: Among 166 K. pneumoniae isolates, 54 (32.5%) exhibited resistance to carbapenems. Notably, all these resistant isolates were resistant to imipenem, with 35 (65%) displaying resistance to both imipenem and meropenem. Of the 54 CRKP isolates, 24 (44%) were metallo-ß-lactamases (MBL)-producing. The prevalence of the blaNDM gene among CKCP and MBL-producing isolates was 20% (n = 11) and 44% (n = 24), respectively. The blaVIM and blaIMP genes were not detected in any of the isolates. Twenty-six CRKP isolates (48%) were recovered from ICUs. PFGE analysis of CRKP isolates revealed 20 clusters, with cluster S being the most prevalent, comprising 24% of the total (n = 13). CONCLUSION: Our study reveals a concerning prevalence of carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae isolates. Specifically, the detection of the blaNDM gene in 20% of CRKP isolates, with a significant proportion (82%) observed in isolated CRKP from the ICUs and emergency departments, underscores the potential clonal expansion of these resistant strains within these critical hospital wards.

Diagnostic accuracy of the IFN-γ release assay using RD1 immunodominant T-cell antigens for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

The diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) poses a significant challenge, with controversies surrounding the accuracy of IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs). This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of RD1 immunodominant T-cell antigens, including ESAT-6, CFP-10, PE35, and PPE68 proteins, for immunodiagnosis of EPTB. Twenty-nine patients with EPTB were enrolled, and recombinant PE35, PPE68, ESAT-6, and CFP-10 proteins were evaluated in a 3-day Whole Blood Assay. IFN-γ levels were measured using a Human IFN-γ ELISA kit, and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) test was performed. Predominantly, the patients were of Afghan (62%, n = 18) and Iranian (38%, n = 11) nationalities. Eighteen individuals tested positive for QFT-Plus, accounting for 62% of the cases. The positivity rate for IGRA, using each distinct recombinant protein (ESAT-6, PPE68, PE35, and CFP-10), was 72% (n = 21) for every protein tested. Specifically, among Afghan patients, the positivity rates for QFT-Plus and IGRA using ESAT-6, PPE68, PE35, and CFP-10 were 66.7%, 83.3%, 83.3%, 77.8%, and 88.9%, respectively. In contrast, among Iranian patients, the positivity rates for the same antigens were 54.5%, 54.5%, 54.5%, 63.6%, and 45.5%, respectively. In conclusion, our study highlights the potential of IGRA testing utilizing various proteins as a valuable diagnostic tool for EPTB. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying factors contributing to these disparities and to optimize diagnostic strategies for EPTB in diverse populations.

Association of body mass index with COVID-19 outcome in a pediatric tertiary referral hospital in Iran.

BACKGROUND: One of the challenging risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection is obesity and high body mass index (BMI). In this study we assessed the association between BMI and outcomes of hospitalized pediatric patients with COVID-19 in Iran. METHOD: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in the biggest referral pediatric hospital in Tehran from March 7 to August 17, 2020. All hospitalized children ≺18 years of age with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were included in the study. We evaluated the association of BMI with COVID-19 outcomes (death, severity of clinical course, oxygen therapy, intensive care unit [ICU] admission, ventilator requirement). The secondary objectives were investigating the association of gender, underlying comorbidity, and patient age with COVID-19 outcomes. The limits for obesity, overweight, and underweight were set at BMI >95 percentile, 85≤ BMI ≤ 95, and BMI<5 percentile, respectively. RESULTS: In total, 189 confirmed pediatric cases of COVID-19 (0.1-17 years) with a mean age of 6.4 ± 4.7 years were included. Overall, 18.5% of the patients were obese and 33% were underweight. We found that BMI had no significant relation with COVID outcomes in pediatric cases but after subgrouping the participants, underlying comorbidities and lower BMI in previously ill children were independently associated with a poor clinical outcome of COVID-19. In addition, the previously ill children with higher BMI percentiles were at a relatively lower risk of ICU admission (95% CI: 0.971-0.998, OR: 0.98, p = 0.025) and better clinical course of COVID-19 (95% CI: 0.970-0.996, OR: 0.98, p = 0.009). The BMI percentile had a statistically significant direct relationship with age (Spearman correlation coefficient= 0.26, p<0.001). When we separated the children with underlying comorbidity, the BMI percentile was significantly lower (p<0.001) in comparison to the previously healthy children. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, obesity is not related to COVID-19 outcomes in pediatric patients, but after controlling for confounding effects, underweight in children with underlying comorbidities was more likely to be associated with a poor prognosis of COVID-19.

Clinical and laboratory features of SARS-CoV-2 variants across multiple rounds of pandemic waves in hospitalized children in an Iranian referral hospital.

BACKGROUND: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into independent new forms, variants of concern (VOCs). While epidemiological data showed increased transmissibility of VOCs, their impact on clinical outcomes is less clear. This study aimed to investigate the differences between the clinical and laboratory features of children infected with VOCs. METHODS: This study included all cases with SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swabs obtained from patients referred to Children's Medical Center (CMC), an Iranian referral hospital, between July 2021 and March 2022. The inclusion criteria for this study included all patients, regardless of age, who had a positive test anywhere in the hospital setting. Exclusion criteria for the study included those whose data was obtained from non-hospital outpatient settings, or referred from another hospital. The SARS-CoV-2 genome area encoding the S1 domain was amplified and sequenced. The type of variant in each sample was identified based on the mutations in the S1 gene. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, and laboratory findings were collected from the patient's medical records. RESULTS: This study included 87 pediatric cases with confirmed COVID-19, with a median age of 3.5 years (IQR: 1-8.12). Data from sequencing reveals the type of variants as 5 (5.7%) alpha, 53 (60.9%) Delta, and 29 (33.3%) Omicron. The incidence of seizure was higher in patients with Alpha and Omicron infection compared to the Delta group. A higher incidence of diarrhea was reported in Alpha-infected patients, and a higher risk of disease severity, distress, and myalgia was associated with Delta infection. CONCLUSION: Laboratory parameters did not mostly differ among the patients infected with Alpha, Delta, and Omicron. However, these variants may manifest different clinical features. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to fully understand the clinical manifestations of each variant.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and genotyping of microorganisms isolated from sputum culture of children with cystic fibrosis in an Iranian referral children's hospital.

BACKGROUND: Chronic bacterial infections of the airways are present in most patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Although most pathogens are acquired from the environment, there is great evidence of patient-to-patient transmission. Therefore, evaluating the genetic variation of strains isolated from CF patients is recommended for the purpose of examining hospital infection. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from sputum samples of children with CF referred to a single pediatric CF center in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of strains isolated from patients with CF during 1 year were determined. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. aureus isolates were genotyped using the random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction method and were analyzed using GelCompar II software. RESULTS: Of 534 patients with CF, 384 had negative sputum cultures (72%), and 94 strains of P. aeruginosa (18%) and 53 strains of S. aureus (10%) were isolated. The mean age of the patients was 8.22 ± 5.7 years (range, 2 months to 18 years). The P. aeruginosa strains showed high sensitivity to ceftazidime (96%), piperacillin/tazobactam (96%), and imipenem (94%). All strains of S. aureus were susceptible to vancomycin, and 13% of the strains were methicillin-resistant S. aureus. High resistance to penicillin (92%) and erythromycin (88.5%) were reported. The results of P. aeruginosa genotyping revealed that there were six major clusters in this hospital. Also, based on the analysis of genotyping results, S. aureus strains were obtained from five clusters, most of which were located in cluster B1 (34 isolates, 64%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show the possibility of strains being transferred from one part of the hospital to another (especially from the respiratory ward to other areas). Hence, high attention should be paid to the basic methods of preventing infection.

Evaluation of response to different COVID-19 vaccines in vaccinated healthcare workers in a single center in Iran.

Due to the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and emergent administration of various vaccines worldwide, comprehensive studies on the different aspects of vaccines are in demand. This study evaluated antibody response after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Children's Medical Center personnel. The blood samples of 174 healthcare workers were gathered at least 10 days after vaccination. The administered vaccines included Oxford/AstraZeneca, COVAXIN, Sinopharm, and Sputnik V. This study assessed all antibodies employing ELISA methods, including anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody by DiaZist and Pishtazteb kits, anti-SARS-CoV-2-nucleocapsid by Pishtazteb kit, and anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike by Razi kit. The cutoff for the tests' results was calculated according to the instructions of each kit. Totally, 174 individuals with an average age of 40 ± 9 years participated in this study, the proportion of men was 31%, and the frequency of past COVID-19 infection was 66 (38%). Sixteen (9%) personnel received Oxford/AstraZeneca, 28 (16%) COVAXIN, 29 (17%) Sinopharm, and 101 (58%) Sputnik V. anti-SARS-CoV-2-nucleocapsid and anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike were positive in 37 (21%), and 163 (94%) participants and their mean level were more in adenoviral-vectored vaccines (p value < 0.0001). Neutralizing antibody was positive in 74% using Pishtazteb kit while 87% using DiaZist kit. All antibodies' levels were significantly higher in those with a past COVID-19 infection (p value < 0.0001). In conclusion, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Sputnik V had a similar outcome of inducing high levels of anti-SARS-Cov-2-spike and neutralizing antibodies, which were more than Sinopharm and COVAXIN. The titers of Anti-SARS-CoV-2-nucleocapsid antibody were low in all of these four vaccines.

High frequency of antimicrobial resistance and virulence gene in Shigella species isolated from pediatric patients in an Iranian Referral Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Shigella is a main cause of gastroenteritis and it is responsible for 5 to 10 % of diarrhea through the world. The aims of this study were to assess the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and the presence of 3 common virulence genes (sigA, virF, invE) of Shigella strains isolated from patients with gastroenteritis in Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Over a period of 15 months, all Shigella species collected from the patients with gastroenteritis were entered to the study. Susceptibility testing of all isolates towards different antibiotics was performed using the disk diffusion method and the prevalence of virulence genes was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. RESULTS: Among a total of 183 Shigella strains, 128 Shigella sonnei (70%) and 55 S. flexneri (30%) were isolated. The resistance rate to the antibiotics in S. sonnei strains was higher than S. flexneri. The most sensitive antibiotics for S. flexneri strains were gentamicin (98%), amikacin (85%) and ciprofloxacin (82%), while high resistance rate to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (96%), ampicillin (96%), nalidixic acid (64%) and cefotaxime (60%) was observed. The frequency of invE, virF and sigA gene in S. flexneri strains was 89 %, 93 % and 56 %, respectively; whereas they found in 93 %, 96 %, and 100 % of S. sonnei strains, respectively. SigA gene was identified significantly higher in the S. sonnei strains (100%). There was no significant difference between the presence of virF and invE genes among Shigella strains. CONCLUSION: The high presence of sigA gene in S. sonnei strains plays an important role in its pathogenesis, and the high frequency of invE and virF genes showed that this classical pathway regulating the expression of Shigella virulence factor genes could play a key role in the pathogenesis of this bacterium.

Children with SARS-CoV-2 infection during the novel coronaviral disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Iran: an alarming concern for severity and mortality of the disease.

BACKGROUND: The rapid worldwide spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections led to public health crises globally and the number of pediatric patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still rising. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at an Iranian referral pediatrics hospital and to compare these parameters between hospitalized patients with and without severe disease, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and children with acute COVID-19, as well as deceased and discharged cases. METHODS: This study included hospitalized children and adolescents (≤ 18 years) with suspected COVID-19 who had positive results for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Among the 262 patients with suspected COVID-19, 142 confirmed COVID-19 cases were included in the study. A total of 11 children were diagnosed as MIS-C. The majority of the cases with MIS-C were male, (n = 9, 82%) which is significantly higher than children (n = 61, 47%) with acute COVID-19 (P = 0.03). Fifty patients (35%) were shown to have a more severe form of COVID-19. Ninety percent of the cases (n = 45) with severe COVID-19 had comorbidities that was significantly higher than cases with non-severe or mild disease (n = 41, 45%; P < 0.0001). A mortality rate of 10% was reported (n = 14). Ninety-three percent of the deceased cases (n = 13) had comorbidities that were significantly higher than discharged patients (n = 73, 57%; P = 0.009). CONCLUSION: The increasing number of children with severe COVID-19 is cause for great concern. Underlying diseases, mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and malignancies, are associated with greater risk of development of severe COVID-19 and even death in children. On the other hand, pediatric patients with MIS-C usually develop a milder form of the disease. However, evaluation specific immunological responses in children to explore the delayed inflammatory syndrome are highly recommended.

Evaluation of human coronavirus OC43 and SARS-COV-2 in children with respiratory tract infection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an overwhelming crisis across the world. Human Coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) is a Betacoronavirus responsible mostly for mild respiratory symptoms. Since the presentations of HCoV-OC43 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) are believed to resemble a lot, the aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of HCoV-OC43 in the current pandemic and the rate of coinfection for the two viruses. One hundred and seventeen patients referred to Children's Medical Center, Tehran, Iran with respiratory symptoms were included. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods were performed for the detection of HCoV-OC43 and SARS-COV-2. Totally, 23 (20%) had a positive RT-PCR for HCoV-OC43 and 25 (21%) were positive for SARS-COV-2. Two patients (2%) had a positive PCR for both HCoV-OC43 and SARS-COV-2. The two groups showed significant differences in having contact with family members with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 (p = 0.017), fever (p = 0.02), edema (p = 0.036), vomiting (p < 0.001), abdominal complaints (p = 0.005), and myalgia (p = 0.02). The median level of lymphocyte count in patients with HCoV-OC43 was significantly lower than patients with SARS-COV-2 infection (p = 0.039). The same frequency of SARS-COV-2 and HCoV-OC43 was found in children with respiratory symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of coinfection of SARS-COV-2 with HCoV-OC43 in our study was 0.08. Further research into the cocirculation of endemic coronaviruses, such as HCoV-OC43 and SARS-CoV2, in different regions, is highly recommended. Attempts to determine the geographic distribution and recruit more flexible test panel designs are also highly recommended.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Genotyping of Bacteria Isolated from Urinary Tract Infection in Children in an Iranian Referral Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections in childhood, and the increasing rate of antibiotic resistance to the commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents against it has become a major concern. The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance and genotyping of bacteria isolated from urine cultures in patients referred to the Children's Medical Center, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: During the 1-year period, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of strains isolated from patients with UTI were determined. Typing of the isolates causing nosocomial infections was performed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, and the results were analyzed by Gelcompar II software. RESULTS: In this study, 203 children (130 girls and 73 boys) were included. The patients' age ranged from 1 day to 16 years (IQR average=4 months to 4 years). The most frequent isolated organisms were Escherichia coli (118 isolates, 58%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (30 isolates, 15%). Sixty-two strains (18 strains of E. coli, 13 strains of K. pneumoniae, 11 strains of Enterococcus faecium, and five strains of Burkholderia cepacia complex) had criteria of nosocomial infection. A high resistance rate to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (69%) and cefotaxime (60%) was reported in E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains showed high sensitivity to amikacin (100%). All E. faecium strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (100%), and 23% of the strains were resistant to vancomycin. The analysis of RAPD-typing revealed the presence of three clusters in E. coli, two clusters in E. faecium, and one clone in K. pneumoniae. Besides, four out of five isolates of B. cepacia complex had more than 90% genetic similarity. CONCLUSION: The most frequent isolated pathogen was E. coli, and an increasing rate of antibiotic resistance to the commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and cephalosporins was observed. Moreover, the results of this study showed the presence of clones with ≥80% similarity in E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. faecium, and B. cepacia complex isolates; therefore, the transmission of nosocomial infections from one patient to another or one ward to another is probable.

Antibiotic Resistance And Genotyping Of Gram-Positive Bacteria Causing Hospital-Acquired Infection In Patients Referring To Children's Medical Center.

INTRODUCTION: A serious problem affecting human society is the development of bacterial resistance. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance of Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) and genotyping of common GPB causing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in patients who were referred to Children's Medical Center during a 6-month period by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR). METHODS: During the 6-month period, antimicrobial resistance profiles of GPB isolates recovered from patients in Children's Medical Center were determined using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and MIC. Typing of common GPB was performed and the results were analyzed by gel compare software. RESULTS: In this cross-sectional study, 6524 cultures were performed and 138 Ggram-positive bacteria were isolated (2%). Staphylococcus aureus strains showed the highest antibiotic penicillin resistance (96.3%). Twenty-six per cent of the strains were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and no resistance was found against vancomycin. All isolates of Enterococcus faecium were resistant to ciprofloxacin (100%). The resistance to vancomycin was very high (67%) and no resistance was observed to linezolid. The results of genotyping analysis of S. epidermidis strains showed the presence of two clones with a genetic relationship of over 80%. All of the S. aureus strains were in one cluster and half of the E. faecium strains were in a cluster with a genetic predilection of over 80%. CONCLUSION: This study indicated frequent occurrence of antimicrobial resistance, especially in Enterococcus spp. isolates. Rapid spreads of MRSA and VREF from a clonal origin require implementing careful isolation and infection control measures.

Antibiotic resistance and genotyping of gram-negative bacteria causing hospital-acquired infection in patients referred to Children's Medical Center.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) is a major problem worldwide. Understanding patterns of bacterial etiology and antibiotic susceptibility is vital to combating HAI. Besides, typing of isolates is important to establish the intra-hospital surveillance of resistant clones. In this study, we aimed to evaluate antibiotic resistance and genotyping of a number of gram-negative bacteria (GNB) causing HAI in patients who were referred to Children's Medical Center. METHODS: During the 6-month period, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of GNB isolates recovered from patients in Children's Medical Center were determined. Typing of common GNB was performed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis and the results were analyzed by Gelcompar II software. RESULTS: In total, 142 (1.1%) gram-negative bacterial strains were isolated, among which 59.2% were from males. The most organisms were isolated from blood (63%) followed by wounds (13.7%). The greatest proportion of strains came from intensive care units (51%). Low sensitivity of Acinetobacter baumannii to common antibiotics and high resistance of Enterobacter spp. To cefotaxime (100%) were reported. The most efficient antibiotics for Escherichia coli strains were amikacin (84%) and gentamycin (81%). However, just 12.5% of Serratia marcescens strains were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The analysis of RAPD-typing revealed the presence of one clone in A. baumannii and E. coli and two clones in Klebsiella pneumoniae, whereas the trend varied completely in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains and Enterobacter spp. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed a possibility of an outbreak in the Children's Medical Center. Since there is a possibility of transmission of an infection from one patient to another, high attention should be paid to the basic methods of preventing infection.

Diagnostic accuracy of interferon (IFN)-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) as a biomarker for the discrimination of active and latent tuberculosis.

To assess the potency of Interferon (IFN)-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) stimulated by recombinant PE35 and PPE68 as a biomarker in differentiating between active and latent tuberculosis. Patients with active pulmonary TB (PTB) (n = 30), latent TB infection (LTBI) (n = 29), and BCG-vaccinated healthy controls (HCs) (n = 30) were enrolled and blood samples were taken from them. The diagnostic performance of IP-10 was evaluated by the Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The median IP-10 concentrations following stimulation with recombinant PE35 and PPE68 were significantly higher in TB-infected group (both PTB and LTBI) compared with HCs (P < 0.05). It was also significantly higher in PTB patients compared with individuals with LTBI (P < 0.05). The discriminatory performance of IP-10 following stimulation with recombinant PE35 and PPE68 (assessed by AUC) between TB patients and HCs were similar (AUC: 0.79 [95% CI 0.68-0.89] and 0.79 [95% CI 0.69-0.89], respectively). AUCs of IP-10 following stimulation with recombinant PE35 and PPE68 for distinguishing between PTB and LTBI groups were 0.63 (95% CI 0.47-0.79) and 0.61 (0.45-0.77), respectively. Under the selected cut-off values, the sensitivity and specificity of IP-10 for distinguishing of TB-infected and HCs after stimulation with recombinant PE35 was 74.5% and 73%, respectively and after stimulation with recombinant PPE68 were 76.5% and 63%, respectively. Moreover, the sensitivity and specificity of IP-10 for differentiating of PTB and LTBI following stimulation with recombinant PE35 and PPE68 were 770 pg/ml (sensitivity: 63%; specificity: 62%) and 502 pg/ml (sensitivity: 80%; specificity: 52%), respectively. IP-10 stimulated by recombinant PE35 and PPE68 is a promising biomarker for TB diagnosis. However, it doesn't have desirable sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between PTB and LTBI.

Molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization among patients and their parents /guardian in an Iranian referral hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in the nose appears to play a key role in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection. It is important to investigate the genetic relatedness of S. aureus and MRSA clones in different geographic regions. The aim of this study was to assess the nasal carriage rate of S. aureus, including MRSA strains in both hospitalized children and general adult population (parents/guardian). In addition, antibiotic susceptibility pattern and molecular diversity of S. aureus in both population was evaluated in an Iranian referral pediatrics Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All samples were obtained through nasal screening of patients and general adult population at admission and discharge day. The prevalence, resistance, and molecular diversity of all S. aureus isolates were examined. RESULTS: In the current study, nasal carriage of S. aureus and Staphylococcus non aureus was identified in 384 (26%) and 1004 (68%) of the study population. The prevalence of MRSA nasal carriage in children and adults was 6.6% (29 out of 438) and 2.8% (29 out of 1046), respectively. Among S. aureus strains isolated obtained from patients and general adult population at admission day, high sensitivity to most of the antibiotics such as vancomycin (100%), rifampin (95%), linezolid (94%), quinupristin/dalfopristin (94%), minocycline (94%), chloramphenicol (89%), gentamycin (87%), amikacin (87%), clindamycin (86%) and moxifloxacin (83%) was seen. The most resistance antibiotics were penicillin (96-98%) and methicillin (44-47%). The susceptibility patterns of nasal S. aureus strains isolated at discharge day was not statistically different from S. aureus isolates obtained at admission day. Admission S. aureus isolated strains of 77 patients (64%) were similar to the isolated S. aureus strains of discharge, while S. aureus isolated strains of 43 patients (36%) was not similar to the strain of discharge (had similarity of less than 70%). CONCLUSION: High prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus and MRSA indicates the urgent need to improve strategies for management of S. aureus infections. Our findings are useful for understanding of S. aureus nasal colonization dynamics within the patients and general population. Surveillance for S. aureus in community settings can provide data on circulating strains and might help developing control measures for reducing of infection spread in hospitals.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of microorganisms isolated from sputum culture of patients with cystic fibrosis: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a serious concern.

INTRODUCTION: Infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Antimicrobial resistance of the bacterial spp. particularly methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus has caused a lot of attention. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia-complex as well as their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in CF patients in an Iranian referral pediatrics Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From March 2011 until February 2012, 172 samples were collected at the Children Medical Center (CMC), an Iranian referral hospital in Tehran, Iran. Sputum specimens were cultured for the following bacterial pathogens: P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. cepacia complex. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. RESULTS: In our study, 54% of the patients (n = 93) harbored at least once S. aureus, 30% (n = 52) P. aeruginosa, and 2% (n = 3) Burkholderia cepacia. In 40 patients (23%), none of these organisms was grown. An increasing colonization rate of P. aeruginosa in the second decade of life was found. In contrast, the colonization rate of S. aureus was constant in both decades of life. Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was detected in 40 isolates (43%). Among MRSA, no resistance against vancomycin, linezolid and quinupristin/dalfopristin occurred. The susceptibility of P. aeruginosa isolates to meropenem, imipenem, doripenem, levofloxacin and polymixin B were more than 90%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MRSA has been rising. Since its impact on clinical outcomes, optimal prevention and treatment strategies are unclear, further studies to expand the knowledge about the infection control strategies and MRSA treatment are highly recommended.

Clinical, cytological and microbiological evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage in children: A referral hospital-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Diffuse lung diseases (DLD) in children involve a group of heterogeneous, rare disorders. In spite of the low diagnostic yield in pediatric DLD, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) can be used to diagnose specific disorders. There are few studies about microbial and cellular profiles of BAL samples in these patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical, cytological and microbiological evaluation of BAL in children with DLD. METHODS: The clinical, cytological and microbiological profiles of BAL samples of all patients with DLD who underwent the fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) at Children's Medical Center, an Iranian referral pediatrics Hospital during a year were evaluated. RESULTS: In 18 patients (18.4%) of the 98 cases studied, 22 pathogens were obtained as etiologic agents. The mean total cells count of BAL was 23.9 × 104 ± 12.9 × 104/ml. The mean percentages of cellular components were macrophages (70.2%), neutrophils (16.3%), lymphocytes (11.8%) and eosinophils (1.4%), respectively. The type of lung disease was significantly associated with the mean percentage of lymphocytes (p = 0.005) and the percentage of neutrophils (p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: FOB and BAL evaluation in combination with clinical and radiographic imaging data may be helpful for identifying of presumptive diagnosis of DLD in children.

Intrafamilial transmission of Helicobacter pylori: genotyping of faecal samples.

BACKGROUND: After more than 20 years of research, there is a little information about the detailed routes of Helicobacter pylori transmission. The aim of this study was to explore intrafamilial transmission of H. pylori in children who had indication for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and their parents. METHODS: Children (aged up to 15 years) were studied during September 2012 to October 2013. The parents of those with positive urea breath test results were asked to provide faecal and blood samples after giving informed consent. Non-invasive tests such as immunoassay for serological antibodies against H. pylori and detection of its antigen in faeces were measured. The genetic similarity of the family strains was investigated by the random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR) genotyping method. RESULTS: According to the genotyping results of 30 families, in 10 (33.3%) children related H. pylori genotypes to their mothers were found, while only 2 children (6.7%) had similar genotypes to their fathers. Interestingly, children with similar H. pylori genotype with their mothers had higher IgA (35.7 ± 10.8) and IgM antibody titres (87.23 ± 19.15) than other children. In addition, in these children, lower titres of IgG antibodies (9.93 ± 3.31) were found rather than children who had no H. pylori in their faeces or had no similarities with their parents (30.28 ± 6.15). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, mother-to-child transmission is the main route of intrafamilial transmission of H. pylori in Iranian families. Molecular typing of H. pylori can be useful in identifying a high-risk population.

Penicillin-Resistant trend of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Asia: A systematic review.

The high prevalence of resistance to penicillin by Streptococcus pneumoniaeis considered as a great concern, particularly in Asian countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the changing trend of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) in Asia over a 20 years period. A review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed database, Google Scholar, Scopus, two Persian scientific search engines "Scientific Information Database" (www.sid.ir), and "Mag Iran" (www.magiran.com) through 1993 to 2013. Our study provides a unique chance to investigate the changing trend in PSSP in Asia over a 20 years period. Susceptibility rates among different centers in each country varied widely. In Malaysia, the PSSP rate decreased from 97.2% in 1995-1996 to 69% in 2000. In Singapore, PSSP levels decreased from 72.6% in 1997 to 30.5% in 2007-2008. In Iran, PSSP ranged from 0% to 100%. In Taiwan, the rate of PSSP was 60.3% in 1995 and <50% in other years. In Lebanon, the rate of PSSP was less than 50% (ranging from 30.1% to 50%) in all published data. In Hong Kong, the level of penicillin susceptibility decreased from 71.1% during 1993-1995 to less 42% in 2007. Continuous surveillance of resistance data from clinical isolates as well as implementation of strict infection control policies is recommended. More studies are needed for better evaluation PSSP rate in some Asian countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal, Kuwait, Korea and Indonesia.