Viral infections in hospitalized children in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic: Association with non-pharmaceutical interventions.

Background: Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) during the COVID-19 pandemic aimed at prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission also influenced transmission of viruses other than SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the burden of common viral respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in children admitted to Berlin University Children's Hospital (BCH) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at different levels of public NPI measures.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the frequency of detection of common human respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses from January 2016 through January 2022 in all patients admitted to BCH.

Severe infections of Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive Staphylococcus aureus in children.

Infections caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus (PVL-SA) mostly present as recurrent skin abscesses and furunculosis. However, life-threatening infections (eg, necrotizing pneumonia, necrotizing fasciitis, and osteomyelitis) caused by PVL-SA have also been reported.We assessed the clinical phenotype, frequency, clinical implications (surgery, length of treatment in hospitals/intensive care units, and antibiotic treatments), and potential preventability of severe PVL-SA infections in children.

Acute renal failure unmasking Lesch-Nyhan disease in a patient with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Case Report: We report on a male patient with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), which was prenatally diagnosed. At the age of 3 months the patient developed acute renal failure with excessive hyperuricemia. Kidney function improved after rehydration and application of rasburicase, however without full recovery.

Infant botulism: is there an association with thiamine deficiency?

Infant botulism is an acute life-threatening condition and diagnosis is frequently delayed. Therefore, the best time window to administer specific antibodies, at present the only etiology-based therapy, is often missed, entailing long periods of hospitalization in the PICU. Here we present a 3-month-old boy with infant botulism and respiratory failure, who quickly and favorably responded to thiamine supplementation.

Continuous veno-venous single-pass albumin hemodiafiltration in children with acute liver failure.

Objective: To investigate the applicability, efficacy, and safety of single-pass albumin dialysis in children.

Design: Retrospective data review of uncontrolled clinical data.

Setting: University-based pediatric intensive care unit collaborating with a local center for liver transplantation.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the lung presenting with pneumonia and heart rhythm disturbances in a teenage girl.

The epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare low-grade tumor of vascular origin that may arise at any site. However, lung and liver represent the 2 main locations. Symptoms of the pulmonary EHE are usually nonspecific and mild.

Boy with pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a caused by GNAS gene mutation (deltaN377), Crouzon-like craniosynostosis, and severe trauma-induced bleeding.

We report on a 6-month-old boy with craniosynostosis, pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a (PHP1A), and a GNAS gene mutation. He had synostoses of the coronal, frontal, and sagittal sutures, brachyturricephaly, and hydrocephaly. He also had congenital hypothyroidism, round face, full cheeks, shortness of limbs, mild developmental delay, and muscular hypotonia.

Atypical tetanus in a completely immunized 14-year-old boy.

We report the uncommon clinical course of tetanus in a completely immunized 14-year-old boy. His initial symptoms, which included a flaccid paralysis, supported a diagnosis of botulism. Preliminary mouse-test results with combined botulinum antitoxins A, B, and E, obtained from tetanus-immunized horses, backed this diagnosis.

Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nevirapine resistance mutation K103N from a treatment-naive mother to her child.

Vertical infection of drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has occasionally been reported in children from pretreated mothers with HIV-1 infection. In this report, a treatment-naive mother transmitted HIV-1 resistance mutation K103N against nevirapine to her child.

Cardiac rescue with enoximone in volume and catecholamine refractory septic shock.

In December 2000 and February 2001, two children with suspected meningococcal disease were admitted to our pediatric intensive unit. Their Glasgow Meningococcal Septicaemia Prognostic score was 12 points. General treatment including antibiotics, steroids in case of meningitis, and fluid replacement, was performed.