Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Neonatal Rotavirus-Associated Leukoencephalopathy.

Rotavirus infection has been reported to be associated with neonatal seizures with a diffuse and symmetrical diffusion restriction of periventricular white matter, namely, neonatal rotavirus-associated leukoencephalopathy. The extensive white matter injury seen in this cohort raises concerns about the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. In the present study, we prospectively assessed the neurodevelopmental outcomes of 13 patients with neonatal rotavirus-associated leukoencephalopathy at a median age of 26 months (range, 23-68 months). Neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated using a neurological examination, developmental evaluations, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Overall, 6 of the 13 patients (46%) had abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes: 1 patient had mental retardation, visual-motor integration (VMI) dysfunction, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy; 1 patient had cerebral palsy and VMI dysfunction; remaining 4 patients had VMI dysfunction. Follow-up MRI in 12 of 13 patients showed an increased signal intensity on periventricular white matter in all patients. These findings suggested that neonatal rotavirus-associated leukoencephalopathy could not be assumed to be benign in long-term neurodevelopment, particularly in VMI function. Early intervention and long-term follow-up are necessary for these patients. Our findings raise caution for rotavirus infection in this vulnerable population for infants.

Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP)-1 in Rotavirus-Associated White Matter Injury in Newborns.

Recent reports have suggested an association between rotavirus infection and a distinctive pattern of white matter injury (WMI) in neonates with seizures; however, the connection between the two is not fully understood. To evaluate the underlying mechanism, we profiled and compared eight cytokines (IL [interleukin]-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ [interferon-γ ], MCP-1 [monocyte chemoattractant protein-1], MIP-1ß [macrophage inflammatory protein-1ß], and TNF-α [tumor necrosis factor-α]) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 33 neonates with seizures who had no other well-known causes of seizures and 13 control patients (rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis but without seizures). Among the 33 neonates with seizures, 9 showed WMI and all were infected with rotavirus (R + W + ). Among the 24 patients without WMI, 11 were infected with rotavirus (R + W - ) and 13 were not (R - W - ).Only MCP-1 and MIP-1ß were different between the groups. MCP-1 was increased in R+ W+ compared with R + W- (p < 0.01), R - W- (p < 0.01), and control (p = 0.03) patients. MIP-1ß was decreased in R + W+ compared with R - W- (p < 0.01) and control (p < 0.01), but not R + W- (p = 0.23) patients. MCP-1 and MIP-1ß are C-C chemokines that recruit immune cells to the site of inflammation. Our pilot study suggests MCP-1-mediated monocyte recruitment may be linked with this complication caused by rotavirus.

Neonatal seizures and white matter injury: Role of rotavirus infection and probiotics.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports associate rotavirus infection with neonatal seizures of distinctive white matter injury (WMI) pattern, but evidence is lacking. We examined this association prospectively and analyzed factors related to occurrence of seizures and WMI pattern in neonates with rotavirus infection. METHODS: We prospectively included 228 neonates (≥34 gestational weeks) who were admitted to a regional neonatal intensive care unit between February 2015 and April 2016 and underwent rotavirus antigen testing using stool samples. Patients with neonatal seizures of other etiologies were excluded. RESULTS: Seventy-eight (34.2%) neonates were rotavirus-positive. Otherwise-unexplained seizures were more frequently observed among rotavirus-positive than among rotavirus-negative neonates (20.5% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.001). Rotavirus infection increased the risk of seizures (odds ratio [OR], 6.19; p < 0.001), even after adjustment for confounders (OR, 4.46; p = 0.007). After stratification according to probiotic administration immediately after birth, rotavirus infection remained a significant risk factor only in patients without probiotic medication (OR, 4.83; p = 0.01 vs. OR, 2.44; p = 0.49). The WMI pattern was observed in 9 of 22 neonates with seizures, and this subgroup was characterized by rotavirus infection (100% vs. 53.8%, p = 0.004) and seizure onset on days 4-6 of life (66.7% vs. 15.0%; p = 0.02). G9P[8] was the most common genotype in this subgroup but was also commonly detected in neonates without seizures. CONCLUSION: Rotavirus infection is an independent risk factor for neonatal seizures, and associated with the WMI. Immediate administration of probiotics after birth may reduce rotavirus-associated neonatal seizures.

Clinical Findings and Neurologic Outcome in Neonatal Encephalopathy With White Matter Injury Accompanied by Rotavirus.

Our objective was to elucidate the clinical characteristics and neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonatal encephalopathy with characteristic white matter injury as compared with other injury patterns on magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging. We conducted a retrospective study comparing clinical and laboratory findings, and neurologic outcomes between 17 newborns with diffuse lesions in the periventricular white matter and white matter tract (group I) and 22 newborns with other patterns (group II). Stool samples indicated that 16 neonates (94.1%) in group I were rotavirus-positive, whereas none in group II had rotavirus infection. Significantly lower calcium levels were found in group I than in group II ( P < .001). Moreover, a more favorable neurodevelopmental outcome was observed in group I than in group II. This study suggests that characteristic white matter injury in neonatal encephalopathy may be related to decreased calcium levels induced by rotavirus, and may have a better neurodevelopmental prognosis than other causes.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in newborns with neonatal seizures caused by rotavirus-associated leukoencephalopathy.

PURPOSE: Rotavirus infection has recently been reported to be associated with seizures accompanied by leukoencephalopathy in newborns. We aimed to determine long-term outcomes and prognostic factors in newborns with neonatal seizures caused by rotavirus-associated leukoencephalopathy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records and brain magnetic resonance (MR) images of 32 patients who fulfilled the following criteria: (1) neonatal seizures, (2) distinctive symmetric cerebral white matter lesions on diffusion-weighted MR images (DWI), (3) rotavirus infection, (4) absence of a specific etiology of seizures, except for the aforementioned DWI lesions, and (5) Korean Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (K-BSID-II) assessment after 12 months of age. RESULTS: The mean age at seizure onset was 4.7 ±â€¯0.8 days. The median age of the patients at the time of K-BSID-II assessment was 22 months. Fourteen patients (43.8%) showed normal or accelerated performance in the mental and motor scales, while 18 patients (56.2%) had delayed performance in the mental and/or motor scales. Seven patients (21.9%) had significantly delayed performances on the mental and/or motor scales. The percentage of volume of diffusion-restricted lesions based on total brain volume was significantly negatively correlated with the mental developmental index (MDI) score (r = -0.507, p = .003), but not with the psychomotor developmental index (PDI) score (r = -0.324, p = .071). CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus-associated leukoencephalopathy in newborns around 5 days of age can cause adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes with a wide range of severity. The extent of white matter lesion on initial DWI can predict neurocognitive outcome.

Evaluation of benign afebrile convulsions in 16 children with rotavirus gastroenteritis.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings of the patients hospitalized with rotavirus gastroenteritis-related afebrile seizure, retrospectively. The study population consisted of 16 patients (9 girls and 7 boys) with a mean age of 13.81 ± 5.98 months (age range 6-26). The male/female ratio was 0.77. None of the patients had any psychomotor developmental retardation. Neurological examinations of all the patients were normal. There were 7 patients with generalized tonic (43.75%), 8 generalized tonic-clonic (50%), and 1 focal seizure (6.25%). The duration of the seizures varied at a range of 2-7 min (mean 3.68 ± 1.35 min). The period between the onset of the clinical findings of the rotavirus infection and the occurrence of the seizures was ranged from 12 to 48 h (mean 31.5 ± 12.2 h). The prognosis of the rotavirus gastroenteritis-related afebrile convulsions was generally benign. Rotavirus infection should be taken into consideration in infants with gastroenteritis and afebrile convulsions.

Ultrasonography findings and symptoms in acute rotavirus gastroenteritis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to better understand how clinical events in acute rotavirus gastroenteritis are depicted on ultrasonography. METHODS: The relationship between abdominal ultrasonography and clinical course and symptoms was evaluated in 92 patients with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis (51 boys, 41 girls) with an average age of 30.7 ± 24.6 months. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between ultrasonography score and duration of illness after ultrasonography (P = 0.0232). It was also interesting that ultrasonography findings (score: 3.1 ± 1.0 vs 3.6 ± 1.2; P = 0.0118), clinical symptoms (3.1 ± 1.7 score vs 3.8 ± 1.8 score, P = 0.0293), and duration of illness after ultrasonography (4.4 ± 1.4 days vs 3.8 ± 1.1 days, P = 0.0301) were significantly different between patients examined on ultrasonography < 1 day after illness onset (n = 50, but duration of illness after ultrasonography followed only in 42) and those examined ≥ 2 days after onset (n = 42, but duration of illness after ultrasonography followed only in 35). CONCLUSION: The ability of abdominal ultrasonography to indicate severity of disease makes abdominal ultrasonography an important guide to therapy.

Abnormal computed tomography findings among children with viral gastroenteritis and symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate computed tomography (CT) findings in pediatric patients with viral gastroenteritis who presented with clinical features of acute abdomen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During 2 seasons of viral gastroenteritis from 2005 to 2007, 302 children with acute gastrointestinal symptoms were admitted to our center for treatment of dehydration and associated complications. Stool specimens obtained from 130 of the 302 were tested for norovirus with the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS: Among the 130 patients, 44 tested positive for norovirus, 34 for rotavirus, and 1 for adenovirus. In the remaining 51, except one with Campylobacter jejuni, no viral or bacterial pathogen was detectable. An abdominal CT scan was performed in 4 patients with norovirus and in 1 with rotavirus for suspected acute abdomen including acute appendicitis. Computed tomography (CT) findings were similar among the 5 patients, including thickening of the bowel wall and fluid-filled bowel loops in the small intestine with no pathological findings in the stomach, appendix, or colon. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical changes in the small intestine were shown by CT in 5 children with viral gastroenteritis who presented with acute abdomen. These imaging features of viral gastroenteritis may be useful in differential diagnosis of acute abdomen to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Intestinal imaging of children with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the morphology and motility of the distal small bowel of infants with rotavirus gastroenteritis using non-invasive/non-ionizing imaging technology. METHODS: Prospective, non-randomized observational study of five infants with symptomatic rotavirus infection. Infants were imaged by real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound within 5 days of onset of gastroenteritis symptoms. Imaging studies were repeated in the convalescent period 5 to 9 weeks later. RESULTS: Three of five infants had a significant increase in the ileal wall thickness visualized by ultrasound during acute rotavirus infection compared with convalescence. The number and size of mesenteric lymph nodes visualized by ultrasound appeared similar in the acute and convalescent phases, as did peristaltic activity assessed by MRI. CONCLUSION: Abdominal ultrasound can detect changes in ileal wall thickness in infants with rotavirus infection. These changes may reflect ileal inflammation elicited by viral infection. Such studies may prove useful in evaluating morphologic response to attenuated rotavirus vaccines.

Evaluation of anatomic changes in young children with natural rotavirus infection: is intussusception biologically plausible?

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown an association between vaccination with the rotavirus vaccine and the development of intussusception. We evaluated the plausibility of a causal association between natural rotavirus infection and intussusception. METHODS: We performed ultrasound measurements, in infants with confirmed rotavirus infection and in healthy control subjects, of the ileum wall thickness and mesenteric lymph nodes, at enrollment and 1 month later. RESULTS: Thirteen pairs of patients with rotavirus infection and control subjects were enrolled. The mean distal ileum wall thickness at the first examination was 3.0 mm in patients with rotavirus infection and 2.0 mm in control subjects (P = .037). The maximum lymph node size in patients with rotavirus infection was 11.6 mm at the first examination and 7.4 mm at the second examination (P = .017). Nodal aggregates and free fluid were also observed more commonly among patients with rotavirus infection (54% vs. 9%; P = .033 for both). CONCLUSION: Rotavirus infection was associated with increased distal ileum wall thickness and lymphadenopathy during the illness period. These changes suggest a plausible mechanism by which rotavirus infection could cause intussusception.

Ultrasonographic assessment of Salmonella enterocolitis in children.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterocolitis (SE) is one of the important causes of acute infectious diarrhoea. Imaging studies are rarely performed on these patients. Consequently, ultrasound (US) features of SE are controversial. OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical significance of US in the evaluation of SE. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Abdominal US was performed in 15 patients with SE and 9 patients with Rotavirus enterocolitis (RE). RESULTS: Ascites was present in 60 % and mural thickening of the colon in 40 % of patients with SE on abdominal US, whereas we could not identify these features in patients with RE. In patients with SE, colonic wall thickening; and ascites, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher as compared to patients with SE and no colonic wall thickening or ascites. Also, the stool occult blood test was positive more often in patients with colonic wall thickening and ascites on US than in patients without these findings. The colonic wall thickness significantly correlated with CRP and stool occult blood level. CONCLUSIONS: US is able to identify pathological changes in bowel and intra-abdominal spaces. The US findings of ascites and colonic wall thickening may be useful for determining the severity of SE.

Differences in the clinical and radiologic patterns of rotavirus and non-rotavirus necrotizing enterocolitis.

We analyzed retrospectively 32 successive infants who developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), 13 with rotavirus (RV) infection (RV+) and 19 RV-negative (RV-). All patients showed at least pneumatosis intestinalis. All patients except one had risk factors for perinatal asphyxia. Our study demonstrated significant differences between RV+ NEC and RV- NEC cases: RV+ NEC infants had a higher birth weight and were born at a later gestational age. Oral feeding was started earlier and symptoms developed later and more insidiously in RV+ patients than in RV- NEC babies. Radiology revealed a less severe and more distal colon involvement in RV+ NEC infants, whereas the RV- NEC patients mostly had small intestinal or ileocecal changes and more frequent complications of pneumoportogram and intestinal perforations. These latter infants often had a rapidly deteriorating clinical course; 84% needed surgical treatment. In conclusion RV may be a cause of NEC in susceptible infants. Historic and clinical data and a more distal colonic pneumatosis allow a differentiation of RV+ NEC from other forms of NEC.

[The diagnostic value of the plain abdominal radiogram in differentiating rotavirus-negative and rotavirus-positive necrotizing enterocolitis]. / Aussagefähigkeit der Abdomenübersichtsaufnahme in der Differenzierung der Rotavirus-negativen und Rotavirus-positiven nekrotisierenden Enterokolitis.

Clinical data and radiographic findings of 32 newborn suffering from necrotising enterocolitis were analysed [12 patients with rotavirus-positive necrotising enterocolitis (RV + NEC), 20 patients with rotavirus-negative necrotising enterocolitis (RV-NEC)]. The presence and degree of pneumatosis intestinalis, portal venous gas and pneumoperitoneum on abdominal radiographs were graded after Kosloske et al. according to "mild, moderate, and severe". Pneumatosis intestinalis occurred twice as often in the ascending colon in RV-NEC compared to RV + NEC, whereas the transverse colon was involved nearly as frequently as the descending colon in both groups. Portal venous gas was present in 10% of the cases with RV-NEC and was absent in RV + NEC. Pneumoperitoneum only occurred in 8% of RV + NEC but in 20% of RV-NEC. Radiographic findings are helpful in the differentiation between both groups of NEC. Conservative therapy is preferable especially in mainly distal colon distribution of pneumatosis intestinalis without pneumoperitoneum.

Chest radiography in infant cardiac allotransplantation.

Heart transplants were performed in seven infants at Loma Linda University Medical Center from 1985 to 1987. Five of these seven patients survived. In this report, the radiographic appearance of the chest is presented before surgery, immediately after surgery, and during a documented episode of rejection. The most current available chest radiograph is also presented. Acute rejection was confirmed by clinical, echocardiographic, and ECG findings. The only pulmonary infection encountered was mycoplasma pneumonitis. Four patients developed gastrointestinal rotavirus infections and were shown to have dilated proximal small-bowel folds on upper gastrointestinal studies. At the time of this writing, the prognosis for the five surviving infants is good. We conclude that the radiographs of infants who have received heart transplants show an unusual cardiac contour and slight cardiomegaly. Increasing cardiomegaly can alert one to early rejection. Prominent folds in the small bowel are of uncertain origin and significance, but they may be related to infection resulting from immunosuppression.

The radiographic findings in severe rotavirus-induced colitis.

Rotavirus infections are a common cause of childhood gastroenteritis but are rarely severe enough to justify radiographs. However, there appears to be a small subset of children in whom a rotavirus-induced diarrheal illness accompanied by bloody stools is sufficiently severe and protracted to warrant barium studies. We have observed spasm and minute mucosal ulcerations of the colon in three of these children. These findings, under other circumstances, would have prompted the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. These children also had a variety of other findings, such as osteomyelitis, intraocular mycetoma, and positive blood cultures. We suggest that when bloody diarrhea follows or accompanies a typical viral illness, rotavirus particles or antibodies be sought. This may prevent misdiagnosis of ulcerative colitis and unnecessary treatment with steroids.