High Fatality Rates in Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome: A Multicenter Experience From the Epicenter of Brazil's Coronavirus Pandemic.

Background: Brazil´s case fatality rate (CFR) of pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents (MIS-C) is among the highest worldwide. Despite these concerns, limited hospital-based and comprehensive pediatric data have been published on MIS-C in Brazilian children.

Methods: We performed a descriptive analysis of the MIS-C scores in 16 public and private hospitals providing secondary and tertiary care in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil.

Patterns of antibiotic use, pathogens, and prediction of mortality in hospitalized neonates and young infants with sepsis: A global neonatal sepsis observational cohort study (NeoOBS).

Background: There is limited data on antibiotic treatment in hospitalized neonates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to describe patterns of antibiotic use, pathogens, and clinical outcomes, and to develop a severity score predicting mortality in neonatal sepsis to inform future clinical trial design.

Methods And Findings: Hospitalized infants <60 days with clinical sepsis were enrolled during 2018 to 2020 by 19 sites in 11 countries (mainly Asia and Africa).

Neonatal invasive candidiasis in low- and middle-income countries: Data from the NeoOBS study.

Neonatal invasive candidiasis (NIC) has significant morbidity and mortality. Reports have shown a different profile of those neonates affected with NIC and of fluconazole-resistant Candida spp. isolates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared to high-income countries (HICs).

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in children: a hospital-based surveillance study in Latin America's hardest-hit city.

Background: In 2020, Brazil became the epicentre of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Latin America, resulting in an unparalleled health catastrophe. Nevertheless, comprehensive clinical reports in Brazilian children are not available.

Methods: This retrospective, hospital-based, active surveillance study was performed to identify paediatric patients with COVID-19 who presented at a private academic medical centre in a large urban area between March 2020 and March 2021.

Impact of PCV10 on pediatric pneumococcal disease burden in Brazil: time for new recommendations?

Objective: To describe the impact of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the pediatric burden of pneumococcal infections, carriage, serotype replacement, and antimicrobial resistance in Brazil since its introduction in 2010.

Data Source: A narrative review of English, Spanish, and Portuguese articles published in online databases and in Brazilian epidemiological surveillance databases was performed. The following keywords were used: Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcal disease, conjugate vaccine, PCV10, antimicrobial resistance, and meningitis.

Safety and immunogenicity of V114, a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, in children with SCD: a V114-023 (PNEU-SICKLE) study.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited red blood cell disease that results in a multitude of medical complications, including an increased risk of invasive disease caused by encapsulated bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumococcal vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction in pneumococcal disease (PD) in children and adults, including those with SCD. This phase 3 study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of V114, a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), in children with SCD.

Molecular diagnostic of complicated pneumonia in the post-vaccine era.

Background: The etiological diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still a challenge. We compared the conventional culture method and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae in severe pediatric CAP.

Methods: A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted.

Vaccination in Pediatric Patients with Sickle-Cell Disease: Uptake Report and Mini-Review.

Background: Brazil has one of the highest numbers of births with sickle-cell disease (SCD) in the Americas. Despite the risk of severe illnesses and death due to both vaccine-preventable infections, vaccination uptake in pediatric patients with SCD is unknown.

Material And Methods: Children under 18 years with SCD presenting to routine medical consultations had their vaccination status evaluated according to the national recommendations.

Diagnosis of Community-acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Children: A Multicenter Experience in Bolivia.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) represents a major cause of hospitalization, especially among young children. In the third world countries, information about CAP etiology is scarce. Therefore, rapid and highly sensitive diagnostic methods are crucial to determine etiologic agents.

Imported hepatopulmonary echinococcosis: first report of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1) in Bolivia.

Hepatopulmonary hydatidosis in young children is a rare and atypical presentation of Echinococcus granulosus infection. We report the first case of cystic echinococcosis caused by a microvariant of E. granulosus sensu stricto.

Invasive pneumococcal disease among hospitalized children in Brazil before and after the introduction of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Background: Most of the available data on invasive pneumococcal disease in Latin America are derived from laboratory-based surveillance systems. There is a lack of epidemiological data on the disease severity and mortality from hospitalized patients with pneumococcal infection.

Methods: In this hospital-based retrospective historical series of hospitalized children with laboratory-confirmed IPD, we evaluated changes in disease episodes, in-hospital fatality rates, and need for intensive care unit admission after the inclusion of PCV10 in the Brazilian vaccination schedule.

Spontaneous pneumococcal peritonitis diagnosed by qPCR.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is an uncommon manifestation of invasive pneumococcal disease and frequently occurs when an underlying hepatic disease is present. Bacterial identification through culture can be particularly challenging in patients with prior or concurrent antimicrobial use. DNA amplification detects very few copies of target DNA under ideal conditions in CSF or pleural effusion and, therefore, can be useful in selected infections.

First report of two consecutive respiratory syncytial virus outbreaks by the novel genotypes ON-1 and NA-2 in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: Respiratory syncytial virus is a pathogen frequently involved in nosocomial outbreaks. Although several studies have reported nosocomial outbreaks in neonatal intensive care units, molecular epidemiology data are scarce. Here, the authors describe two consecutive respiratory syncytial virus outbreaks caused by genotypes ON-1 and NA-2 in a neonatal intensive care unit in São Paulo, Brazil.

Early-onset Neonatal Pneumococcal Sepsis: A Fatal Case Report and Brief Literature Review.

Sepsis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is rare in neonates although associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report a fatal case of invasive pneumococcal disease in a term neonate whose mother was healthy and did not receive any pneumococcal vaccine. Investigation of the infection source yielded negative results.