Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen activation as a predictor for clinical outcome of pediatric patients with invasive pneumococcal disease.

Background: The most severe form of pneumococcal disease is invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), including empyema, sepsis and meningitis. Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (TA; Galβ1-3GalNAc) activation is known to be a predictor of Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (Sp-HUS). There have been limited data to correlate TA activation and overall disease severity of IPD in children.

Non-typeable Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in a medical center in Taiwan after wide use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common pathogens to cause mucosal and invasive infection in humans. Most of the infection could be prevented through immunization by vaccines containing capsular polysaccharides but some infection may be caused by unencapsulated strains.

Methods: Clinical isolates of S.

Epidemiology of culture-confirmed infections of Streptococcus pneumoniae (2012-2015) and nasopharyngeal carriage in children and households in Taiwan (2014-2015).

Purpose: An observational study was performed to investigate the carriage rate and serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) era in Taiwan.

Methodology: From March 2014 to March 2015 a total of 500 healthy children and their households (631 adults) were enrolled from two large medical centres for nasopharyngeal carriage survey. Clinical isolates were prospectively collected from June 2012 to May 2015 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from a medical center in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era.

Background/purpose: Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common pathogens to cause mucosal and invasive infection in humans. Resistance to fluoroquinolones (FQ) is associated with clinical failure when treating pneumococcal diseases and increase of mortality.

Methods: We collected clinical isolates of S.

Rise of community-onset urinary tract infection caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in children.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by resistant bacteria is becoming more prevalent. Few studies are available regarding community-onset UTIs caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria in children.

Materials And Methods: During a 5-year period, hospitalized children with community-onset UTI caused by ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (case) and those with non-ESBL-producing E.