Nosocomial TB in two neonatal intensive care units at a tertiary care centre: infection risk and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Sick neonates in TB endemic areas are at risk of nosocomial TB exposure.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcomes following contact investigation and isoniazid preventive treatment (IPT) in sick neonates exposed to healthcare personnel (HCP) with pulmonary TB.METHODS: Investigations were conducted following two exposure events in different neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Details of the infants´ physical examination, chest X-ray and exposure history were recorded. Infants without TB disease were prescribed a 9-month course of IPT and followed for ≥1 year.RESULTS: Ninety infants were exposed in NICU A and 231 in NICU B (n = 321). The overall proportions of completing the 9-month IPT was 164/265 (61.8%): 40/79 (50.6%) in NICU A and 124/186 (66.7%) in NICU B (P = 0.01). The overall incidence of TB was 10.2% (24/236): 7.5% in NICU A and 11.2% in NICU B (P = 0.39). Contact investigation beginning >111 days after exposure was a risk factor for TB infection (P = 0.02).CONCLUSION: The risk of TB following nosocomial exposure in sick neonates was high, particularly when contact investigation was delayed. Our findings underscore the importance of hospital policies that promote early detection of TB in HCP, reduce transmission in NICUs, and facilitate rapid case investigation.

Human parvovirus B19 nosocomial outbreak in healthcare personnel in a paediatric ward at a national tertiary referral centre in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial outbreaks of parvovirus B19 (pB19) have been reported, but they rarely occur among healthcare personnel (HCP). Susceptibility among pregnant HCP was the major concern. METHODS: An outbreak of pB19 among HCP is described in a paediatric ward with a cross-sectional serologic study in all HCP and patients exposed to the outbreak. Acute infection was diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction or positive anti-parvovirus B19 IgM. FINDINGS: Among 48 HCP (three pregnant) and 22 patients included in the outbreak serologic study, 11 (23%) HCP and two (9%) patients had acute infection. Of these, six HCP and no patients were symptomatic. Clinical manifestations included itchy rash (100%) and joint pain following resolution of rash (67%), with median rash duration of four days. Forty percent of HCP and 50% of patients had positive anti-parvovirus IgG, indicating previously immune status. HCP with acute infection and HCP who were susceptible without infection were younger than HCP with previous immunity (mean age 32.2 vs 40.5 years, respectively; P = 0.003). The attack rate was 38% among HCP and 18% among patients who were susceptible, respectively. The outbreak ended within two weeks following strict droplet precaution and segregation of symptomatic HCP. CONCLUSION: Parvovirus B19 infection may cause nosocomial outbreak with high attack rate among HCP. Outbreak control with droplet precaution was highly effective.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis in children in Thailand.

SETTING: Few data on drug-resistant (DR) tuberculosis (TB) in children are available in Thailand. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the rate, clinical features and risk of DR-TB in children. DESIGN: Observational prospective study conducted in children diagnosed with TB at a tertiary care centre in Bangkok. RESULTS: Of 230 children diagnosed with TB, the median age was 6.5 years; 63% had identified adult source cases, and only 7% had received prior isoniazid treatment for latent tuberculous infection. Of the 195 (85%) specimens submitted, 57 (25%) were positive using culture or polymerase chain reaction. Of the 53 positive specimens available for drug susceptibility testing (DST), 18 (34%) had any resistance, 13 (24.5%) were mono-resistant, 2 (3.8%) polyresistant and 3 (5.7%) were multidrug-resistant. In multivariate analysis, prior TB treatment (P < 0.001), presence of atelectasis (P = 0.039) or lobar consolidation (P = 0.012) on chest X-ray were associated with DR-TB. DR-TB required longer treatment but there were no differences in rate of cure, treatment completion or death. CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of DR-TB underscores the importance of routine DST. History of treatment and drug susceptibility in source cases was useful in guiding initial treatment in children.

Lipodystrophy and reversal of facial lipoatrophy in perinatally HIV-infected children and adolescents after discontinuation of stavudine.

Lipodystrophy (LD) was evaluated in 205 children receiving antiretroviral therapy by a single investigator: 51 (24.9%) had LD; 46 peripheral lipoatrophy, three central lipohypertrophy and two combined type. All cases of peripheral and combined LD also had facial lipoatrophy. Serial photographs were provided by the families to confirm the severity of facial lipoatrophy. Forty-six (95.8%) children with peripheral or combined LD, and 75 (48.7%) without LD were exposed to stavudine (d4T) for a median duration of 45.9 versus 26.4 months (P = 0.005). In multivariate analysis, exposure to d4T for more than three months was the only factor associated with peripheral or combined LD (P < 0.001). Noticeable improvement of facial lipoatrophy was found in 11/48 (22.9%) children after a mean duration of 45.6 months following d4T discontinuation, mostly occurring during early adolescence.

Pharmacokinetic investigation of albendazole and praziquantel in Thai children infected with Giardia intestinalis.

The pharmacokinetics of albendazole/albendazole sulphoxide and praziquantel were investigated in Thai children with Giardia infection. Twenty school-age children were randomly allocated to receive either a single oral dose of albendazole (400 mg/child) or the same dose of albendazole given concurrently with a single oral dose of praziquantel (20 mg/kg). The concentrations of albendazole/albendazole sulphoxide and praziquantel in plasma samples, collected at intervals in the first 24 h post-treatment, were then quantified using HPLC with ultra-violet detection. No significant pharmacokinetic interaction between the albendazole and praziquantel was demonstrated. For albendazole sulphoxide, the active metabolite of albendazole, there was marked inter-individual variation in the maximum plasma concentration and the 'area under the curve'. The pharmacokinetics of albendazole sulphoxide were similar whether albendazole was given alone or in combination with praziquantel.