Validation of the Hospital for Sick Children Algorithm for Discriminating Bacteremia From Contaminants in Children With a Preliminary Positive Blood Culture.

Study Objective: Children with positive blood cultures obtained in the emergency department (ED) prompt urgent actions due to the risk of bacteremia. This study aimed to validate the Hospital for Sick Children algorithm used for discriminating bacteremia from contaminants and identified variables associated with bacteremia in children with positive blood cultures.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all children with positive blood cultures from a tertiary care, pediatric ED between 2018 and 2022.

XyloFUNS: Xylocaine to freeze during unpleasant nasopharyngeal swabs in children-a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of intranasal vaporized lidocaine in reducing pain for children undergoing a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab in the Emergency Department (ED).

Study Design: A randomized blinded clinical trial was conducted in a paediatric ED. Both participants and the researcher evaluating the primary outcome were blinded.

Multicenter Evaluation of Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) Spectroscopy-Based Method for Rapid Identification of Clinically Relevant Yeasts.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has demonstrated applicability as a reagent-free whole-organism fingerprinting technique for both microbial identification and strain typing. For routine application of this technique in microbiology laboratories, acquisition of FTIR spectra in the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode simplifies the FTIR spectroscopy workflow, providing results within minutes after initial culture without prior sample preparation. In our previous central work, 99.

Natural spring water gargle and direct RT-PCR for the diagnosis of COVID-19 (COVID-SPRING study).

Background: Nasopharyngeal swab has long been considered the specimen of choice for the diagnosis of respiratory viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it suffers from several drawbacks: its discomfort limits screening acceptability, and it is vulnerable to shortages in both specialized materials and trained healthcare workers in the context of a pandemic.

Methods: We prospectively compared natural spring water gargle to combined oro-nasopharyngeal swab (ONPS) for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in paired clinical specimens (1005 ONPS and 1005 gargles) collected from 987 unique early symptomatic as well as asymptomatic individuals from the community.

Results: Using a direct RT-PCR method with the Allplex™ 2019-nCoV Assay (Seegene), the clinical sensitivity of the gargle was 95.

Oropharyngeal Carriage of Kingella kingae and Transient Synovitis of the Hip in Young Children: A Case-control Study.

Background: Transient synovitis of the hip affects mostly preschool children, and its etiology is unknown. Kingella kingae has been identified recently as a common etiologic agent of osteoarticular infections (OAI) in young children and could potentially be associated to transient synovitis of the hip. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the association between transient synovitis of the hip and oropharyngeal carriage of K.

Chronic suppurative otomastoiditis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria: A case series.

Introduction: Eight new cases of chronic otomastoiditis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria were reported at Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine (CHUSJ) between 2008 and 2018. In the literature, only 89 cases have been described since 1972. This case series aims to define the clinical presentation, infectious pathogens, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic means employed in cases of nontuberculous mycobacteria otitis media encountered in our tertiary pediatric reference center.

Identification of Candida auris by Use of the Updated Vitek 2 Yeast Identification System, Version 8.01: a Multilaboratory Evaluation Study.

is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that has been systematically incorrectly identified by phenotypic methods in clinical microbiology laboratories. The Vitek 2 automated identification system (bioMérieux) recently included in its database (version 8.01).

Evaluation of the Abbott ARCHITECT™ cytomegalovirus IgM/IgG, rubella IgM/IgG, and syphilis treponemal antibodies enzyme immunoassays in a mother and child health center population.

This study evaluated the concordance of Architect™ chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays with Captia™ ELISA for cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM and IgG, with Enzygnost™ and Captia™ ELISA for rubella IgM and IgG and with Trep-Sure™ ELISA for syphilis treponemal antibodies in a mixed pediatric and obstetrical population. Total agreement between assays and Kappa statistic value were 82.5% (95% CI: 75.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia and Events in Pediatric Intensive Care: A Single Center Study.

Objectives: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is the second most common nosocomial infection in pediatric intensive care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued diagnosis criteria for pediatric ventilator-associated pneumonia and for ventilator-associated events in adults. The objectives of this pediatric study were to determine the prevalence of ventilator-associated pneumonia using these new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, to describe the risk factors and management of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and to assess a simpler method to detect ventilator-associated pneumonia with ventilator-associated event in critically ill children.

MRSA eradication of newly acquired lower respiratory tract infection in cystic fibrosis.

UK cystic fibrosis (CF) guidelines recommend eradication of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) when cultured from respiratory samples. As there is no clear consensus as to which eradication regimen is most effective, we determined the efficacy of eradication regimens used in our CF centre and long-term clinical outcome. All new MRSA positive sputum cultures (n=37) that occurred between 2000 and 2014 were reviewed.

Evaluation of the abbot Architect(™) epstein-barr virus viral capsid antigen IgM, viral capsid antigen IgG and nuclear antigen IgG assays in a pediatric and adult population.

Background: The detection of antibodies against Epstein-Barr viral capsid (VCA) and nuclear (EBNA) antigens is routinely performed with different commercially available immunoassays.

Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the concordance and performance of the Architect(™) chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays (CMIAs) using Captia(™) enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for VCA IgM, and standard immunofluorescence (IF) assays for VCA IgG and EBNA IgG as comparative techniques.

Study Design: Sera were selected from a heterogeneous population including pediatric and adult patients.

Evaluation of a fluorescent immunoassay rapid test (Sofia™) for detection of influenza A+B and RSV in a tertiary pediatric setting.

In response to the lack of sensitivity and reproducibility of previously marketed rapid antigen detection tests, a novel fluorescent immunoassay was recently developed. This new assay offers rapidity and automated reading. More characterization of this assay is needed.

Clinical and economical impact of multiplex respiratory virus assays.

During the last decade, a variety of molecular assays targeting respiratory viruses have been developed and commercialized. Therefore, multiplex PCR are increasingly used in everyday clinical practice. This improves our understanding of respiratory virus epidemiology and enhances our concerns about their clinical impact in specific patient populations.

Comparison of three different methods for detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in a tertiary pediatric care center.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a well-known cause of sporadic and epidemic food-borne gastroenteritis. A low infectious dose, approximately 10 microorganisms, is sufficient to cause disease that may lead to hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The objective of this study was to compare the performances of an in-house real-time PCR, a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Premier EHEC; Meridian Bioscience), and culture on sorbitol MacConkey agar for the detection of STEC in a tertiary care pediatric hospital.