Swiss Evaluation Registry for Pediatric Infective Endocarditis (SERPIE) - Risk factors for complications in children and adolescents with infective endocarditis.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) in pediatric patients is a severe cardiac disease and its actual epidemiology and clinical outcome in Switzerland is scarcely studied.

Methods: Retrospective nationwide multicenter data analysis of pediatric IE in children (<18 years) between 2011 and 2020.

Results: 69 patients were treated for definite (40/69;58%) or possible IE (29/69;42%).

Endothelial glycocalyx degradation in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children related to COVID-19.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) represents a rare but severe complication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection affecting children that can lead to myocardial injury and shock. Vascular endothelial dysfunction has been suggested to be a common complicating factor in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aims to characterize endothelial glycocalyx degradation in children admitted with MIS-C.

[Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 in paediatrics : what is the evidence to date?].

Although SARS-CoV-2 infects individuals of all ages, children show less severe symptoms. Nevertheless, the very rare COVID-19 severe cases in paediatrics require our full attention. Much research has been conducted and is still ongoing on effective treatments.

Viral co-infections among SARS-CoV-2-infected children and infected adult household contacts.

We evaluated the rates of viral respiratory co-infections among SARS-CoV-2-infected children. Twelve percent of SARS-CoV-2-infected children had viral co-infection with one or more common respiratory viruses. This was significantly more frequent than among their SARS-CoV-2-infected adult household contacts (0%; p=0.

Immunological Assessment of Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Background: Recently, cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported worldwide. Negative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing associated with positive serology in most of the cases suggests a postinfectious syndrome. Because the pathophysiology of this syndrome is still poorly understood, extensive virological and immunological investigations are needed.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Viral Load in the Upper Respiratory Tract of Children and Adults With Early Acute Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The factors that contribute to transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by children are unclear. We analyzed viral load at the time of diagnosis in 53 children and 352 adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first 5 days post symptom onset. No significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads were seen between children and adults.

Boosting Teenagers With Acellular Pertussis Vaccines Containing Recombinant or Chemically Inactivated Pertussis Toxin: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Protection induced by acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines is partial and short-lived, especially in teenagers, calling for novel immunization strategies.

Methods: We conducted an investigator-driven proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial in aP-primed adolescents in Geneva to assess the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a novel recombinant aP (r-aP) vaccine including recombinant pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) coadministered with tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td), compared to a licensed tetanus-diphtheria-aP vaccine containing chemically detoxified PT (cd/Tdap). The primary immunological endpoints were day 28/365 geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of total and neutralizing anti-PT antibodies.

[Persistant fevers of infectious origin in children].

Prolonged fevers in children are a regular challenge for the paediatrician or any physician caring for these children (emergency physicians, pediatric infectious diseases specialists). The causes are multiple, classified into three major families : infectious, inflammatory and oncological. Infectious causes are the most common and account for more than 50 % of cases.