Publications by authors named "Cristina Calvo"

Article Synopsis
  • In 2023, Europe raised concerns about rising severe neonatal infections due to a new lineage of echovirus 11 (E11), prompting an analysis of E11 cases in Spain from 2019 to 2023.
  • Out of 1,288 samples, 103 were found to be E11-positive, but the detection rates and severity of infections among neonates did not significantly change after the new lineage appeared in June 2022.
  • The findings suggest that the new lineage 1 is not responsible for increased neonatal infections, but the discovery of novel E11 recombinants linked to severe cases highlights the need for better monitoring and surveillance.
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  • - The study evaluated the effectiveness of the BioFire JI PCR multiplex panel in diagnosing pediatric osteoarticular infections compared to traditional culture methods. - Data from 50 pediatric patients showed various infections, with the PCR panel identifying 7 additional pathogens and demonstrating a sensitivity of 93% but only a specificity of 63%. - The use of the PCR panel resulted in quicker pathogen identification, allowing for timely and targeted treatment, ultimately improving the management of these infections.
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Torque teno virus (TTV) viral load (VL), a component of the human virome, increases during immune suppression or dysregulation. This study aimed to explore TTV VL in youths living with vertically acquired HIV (YWVH) and its potential as an immunovirological marker. We performed an observational, retrospective study involving YWVH under antiretroviral treatment (ART) from the Spanish Cohort of HIV-infected children, adolescents, and vertically HIV-infected patients transferred to Adult Units (CoRISpe-FARO), compared to HIV-negative healthy donors (HD).

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Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacterium mainly associated with skin, soft tissue and surgical site infections. We report an unusual outbreak of 6 cases of surgical site infection following spinal surgery. Patients received combined intravenous antibiotics, including amikacin, followed by an extended period of oral therapy with favorable clinical outcomes.

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Introduction: Although pets provide several social-emotional benefits for children, the risk of zoonosis must be considered among immunocompromised individuals.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital including immunocompromised patients younger than 20 years owning dogs and/or cats. Colonization and/or infection was evaluated by stool studies, bacterial swabs, blood polymerase chain reaction and serological studies in both patients and their pets, to evaluate potential zoonotic transmission occurrence.

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The prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections, particularly carbapenem-resistant strains, has become a significant global health concern. Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) has emerged as a promising treatment option. However, data on its efficacy and safety in children are scarce, necessitating further investigation.

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Article Synopsis
  • - SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins ORF3a, ORF9b, ORF9c, and ORF10 disrupt mitochondrial functions and cell metabolism in lung epithelial cells, affecting antiviral signaling and immune responses.
  • - While ORF9b, ORF9c, and ORF10 have similar effects on gene expression, ORF3a shows unique impacts, including significant changes in mitochondrial structure and the downregulation of key mitochondrial genes.
  • - Research reveals that different accessory proteins modify metabolic processes, with lower amino acid metabolism in ORF9b, ORF9c, and ORF10, and increased lipid metabolism in ORF3a, highlighting potential new therapeutic targets for COVID-19 intervention.
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Central nervous system infections in children caused by group A Streptococcus are rare. This study, conducted across 52 hospitals in Spain from 2019 to 2023, identified 32 cases of central nervous system infections in children caused by group A Streptococcus, with a significant increase from October 2022 onward (1.1% vs.

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Unlabelled: Growing evidence indicates that gut and respiratory microbiota have a potential key effect on bronchiolitis, mainly caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This was a prospective study of 96 infants comparing infants with bronchiolitis ( = 57, both RSV and non-RSV associated) to a control group ( = 39). Gut (feces) and respiratory [nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA)] microbial profiles were analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and respiratory viruses were identified by PCR.

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Background: Despite respiratory infections being a leading cause of hospitalization in children with tracheostomy tubes, there are no published guidelines for their diagnosis and management. This study aims to outline the clinical, laboratory and microbiological aspects of pneumonia in these children, along with the antibiotics used and outcomes. Additionally, it seeks to determine pneumonia incidence and associated risk factors.

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  • Pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are at high risk for infections, particularly nontuberculous mycobacteria.
  • A study reports six cases of disseminated or pulmonary infections in five children, mostly caused by Mycobacterium avium complex.
  • Out of the five patients, four died, with two deaths directly linked to the mycobacterial infections.
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Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant morbidity and mortality in children aged ≤ 5 years and adults aged ≥ 60 years worldwide. Despite this, RSV-specific therapeutic options are limited. Rilematovir is an investigational, orally administered inhibitor of RSV fusion protein-mediated viral entry.

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  • Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections can cause severe respiratory issues and acute flaccid myelitis, with a significant rise reported during the fall-winter season of 2021-2022 across Europe.
  • The study by the European Non-Polio Enterovirus Network (ENPEN) analyzed over 10,481 samples from 19 countries, identifying 1,004 as EV-D68, predominantly affecting young children, where 37.9% required hospitalization.
  • Additionally, genetic analyses uncovered two new B3-derived lineages without regional patterns, indicating a notable impact of the infections and the emergence of new virus strains.
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There are few data on yellow fever (YF) and hepatitis A (HA) off-label vaccination. Given the rising trend of travel to endemic countries, there is a growing necessity to broaden vaccination coverage among the pediatric population. For this reason, we aim to assess the adverse effects associated with off-label vaccination, with the ultimate purpose of expanding the vaccine spectrum.

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Unlabelled: In December 2022, an alert was published in the UK and other European countries reporting an unusual increase in the incidence of infections. Our aim was to describe the clinical, microbiological, and molecular characteristics of group A invasive infections (iGAS) in children prospectively recruited in Spain (September 2022-March 2023), and compare invasive strains with strains causing mild infections. One hundred thirty isolates of causing infection (102 iGAS and 28 mild infections) were included in the microbiological study: typing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and sequencing for core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST), resistome, and virulome analysis.

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Aim: To identify predictive variables and construct a predictive model along with a decision algorithm to identify nephrourological malformations (NUM) in children with febrile urinary tract infections (fUTI), enhancing the efficiency of imaging diagnostics.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients aged <16 years with fUTI at the Emergency Department with subsequent microbiological confirmation between 2014 and 2020. The follow-up period was at least 2 years.

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Antibiotics are frequently prescribed to children with pneumonia, although viruses are responsible for most cases. We aimed to evaluate the impact of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) on antibiotic use. We conducted a prospective study of children under 14 years of age admitted for suspected viral pneumonia, from October 2019 to June 2022 (except March-November 2020).

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Background: Pet ownership is widespread, offering numerous benefits to individuals and families. However, the risk of zoonotic diseases must be carefully considered, especially for immunosuppressed patients. Knowledge gaps in preventive measures for zoonoses have been identified, underscoring the vital role of veterinarians in addressing this issue.

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Lung ultrasound, a non-invasive bedside technique for assessing paediatric patients with acute respiratory diseases, is becoming increasingly widespread. The aim of this prospective, observational cohort study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a clinical ultrasound score in assessing infants with acute bronchiolitis in the emergency department and its ability to accurately identify patients at a higher risk of clinical deterioration. Infants under 6 months of age with clinical symptoms compatible with acute bronchiolitis were enrolled and underwent clinical and lung ultrasound evaluations.

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