Time-dependent associations between presentation-based infections and subsequent risk of childhood immune cell malignancies.

Background: Infection is hypothesised as a contributory cause of childhood immune cell malignancies. Although some have reported associations between individual infections and immune cell malignancies, some could be spurious due to infections caused by malignancies that were already active prior to diagnosis.

Methods: Identified from Taiwan Cancer Registry, ∼3000 children with four commonest immune cell malignancies diagnosed during 2001-2015 at age 1-20 years were identified and matched with 1:10 controls.

Clinical characteristics of echovirus 11 and coxsackievirus B5 infections in Taiwanese children requiring hospitalization.

Background: Severe illness can occur in young children infected with certain types of enteroviruses including echovirus 11 (Echo11) and coxsackievirus B5 (CoxB5). The manifestations and outcomes of Echo11 and CoxB5 diseases across all ages of children remained not comprehensively characterized in Taiwan.

Methods: Culture-confirmed Echo11 (60 patients) or CoxB5 (65 patients) infections were identified in a hospital from 2010 to 2018.

Distribution of lymphadenopathy in patients with Kikuchi disease.

Background: Cervical lymphadenopathy is among the cardinal manifestations of Kikuchi disease (KD). The incidences and locations of extra-cervical lymph nodes (LNs) involvement in KD have not been comprehensively reported.

Methods: From 2003 to 2016, 60 patients with pathologically confirmed KD and with computed tomography and/or whole-body inflammation scans at diagnosis were retrospectively identified.

Epitope-associated and specificity-focused features of EV71-neutralizing antibody repertoires from plasmablasts of infected children.

Protective antibody levels are critical for protection from severe enterovirus 71 infection. However, little is known about the specificities and functional properties of the enterovirus 71-specific antibodies induced by natural infection in humans. Here we characterize 191 plasmablast-derived monoclonal antibodies from three enterovirus 71-infected children, each of whom shows a distinct serological response.

Childhood cancer, type 1 diabetes and other immune diseases: healthcare visits in the year before diagnosis in Taiwan.

Background: Children with cancer, type 1 diabetes and other immune diseases often present initially with non-specific problems. It is unknown how long children with these conditions seek medical help before a diagnosis is reached.

Methods: During the period 2002 to 2013, 7238 children aged 2-15 years diagnosed with cancer at seven sites, type 1 diabetes, and three other immune diseases were registered in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Catastrophic Illness Database.

Seroprevalence of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and 2 in Taiwan and Risk Factor Analysis, 2007.

Background: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) are common human pathogens and might cause severe illness. Following primary infection, the viruses establish lifelong latent infection and are transmitted by close contact, both sexual and nonsexual. However, the information about the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 across all age groups is limited.

A Potent Virus-Specific Antibody-Secreting Cell Response to Acute Enterovirus 71 Infection in Children.

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) remains a leading pathogen for acute infectious diseases in children, especially in Asia. The cellular basis for establishing a virus-specific antibody response to acute EV71 infections is unclear in children.

Methods: We studied the magnitude of virus-specific antibody-secreting B cells (ASCs) and its relationship with serological response, clinical parameters, and virological parameters among children with laboratory-confirmed EV71 infection.

Virus-specific antibody secreting cell, memory B-cell, and sero-antibody responses in the human influenza challenge model.

Background:  Antibodies play a major role in the protection against influenza virus in human. However, the antibody level is usually short-lived and the cellular mechanisms underlying influenza virus-specific antibody response to acute infection remain unclear.

Methods:  We studied the kinetics and magnitude of influenza virus-specific B-cell and serum antibody responses in relation to virus replication during the course of influenza infection in healthy adult volunteers who were previously seronegative and experimentally infected with seasonal influenza H1N1 A/Brisbane/59/07 virus.

Bedside immunochromatographic test for enterovirus 71 infection in children.

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes frequent outbreaks worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific area. Its quick spread is a critical challenge for public health and timely preventive measures and clinical management therefore rely on early detection. There is a need for a rapid, easy-to-use, and reliable method for detecting EV71 infections.