Norovirus Infection in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Norovirus infection in children on treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia can lead to severe morbidity due to chronic viral shedding, malabsorption, failure to thrive, and interruption of chemotherapy. We had four children with norovirus diarrhoea in eight years period in our pediatric oncology unit. Three children under two years of age had chronic noroviral shedding and persistent diarrhoea, probably due to poor adaptive immune responses. Two of those children didn't respond to nitazoxanide and succumbed to the illness. The third patient who received nitazoxanide and favipiravir, is currently well on chemotherapy.

A Study of Factors Influencing Delayed Diagnosis in Pediatric Cancers: A Step Towards Better Outcomes-A Cross-sectional Study.

Annually, India contributes to one-fifth of newly diagnosed pediatric cancers worldwide. Poor outcome in India as compared with developed nations is mainly attributed to delayed diagnosis and study of factors influencing delay in diagnosis holds paramount importance in formulating strategies and counter-measures to improve survival. It was a cross-sectional study conducted on children diagnosed with malignancy at a tertiary care hospital. Diagnosis delay was defined and further divided into patient delay and physician delay. Various patient-related factors and socioeconomic factors that could affect diagnosis were studied. Statistical analysis included descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and multivariate linear regression. Of 185 patients enrolled, median diagnosis delay, patient delay, and physician delays were 59, 30, and 7 days respectively. Median diagnosis delay was significantly higher in younger children, children of illiterate parents, and low income. Median diagnosis delay in children presenting to a general practitioner (9 [4 to 29] days) was higher than those presenting to a pediatrician (5.5 [2 to 18] days). Sex, occupation of parents, and distance from oncology center did not affect time for diagnosis. We concluded that augmentation of the parent's attitudes, increased awareness, and decentralization of specialized pediatric care to rural areas can significantly reduce mortality from, otherwise, curable malignancies.

Perinatal Infections: An Important Etiological Risk Factor for Mineralizing Angiopathy.

Though mineralizing angiopathy is increasingly being recognised as a cause of ischemic stroke in young children, it's cause is not clear. As congenital infections and perinatal infections have been proposed to be associated with mineralizing angiopathy, the authors studied the prevalence of perinatal infections in children with mineralizing angiopathy and compared it with focal cerebral arteriopathy and non-stroke patients. Sixteen children with mineralizing angiopathy, 14 children with focal cerebral arteriopathy and 40 non-stroke patients were enrolled. Detailed parental interview was conducted to look for perinatal infection [Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and neonatal sepsis]. Perinatal infection (PROM in 8 and documented neonatal sepsis in 2) was seen in 8 patients (68.2%) with mineralizing angiopathy and none of the children with focal cerebral arteriopathy. Only 3 (7.5%) of non-stroke patients had history of PROM. This difference was statistically significant. Perinatal infections could be an important etiological risk factor seen in children with mineralizing angiopathy.