Targeted PCR of in pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage samples indicates low prevalence of airway colonization and sample contamination.

are a large order of ubiquitous saprophytic zygomycete fungi and act as opportunistic pathogens in humans. In pediatric patients, little is known about the role of in airway colonization and infection or their role as contaminants of respiratory samples. Currently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most sensitive mode of detection in clinical specimen.

Real-life impact of highly effective CFTR modulator therapy in children with cystic fibrosis.

Recently, cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator modulator therapy with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor has become available for children with cystic fibrosis (CF) carrying at least one mutation. To assess the intermediate term effects of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor in children with cystic fibrosis in a real-world setting. We performed a retrospective analysis of records of children with cystic fibrosis, who started elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor between 8/2020 and 10/2022.

Tracheostomy decannulation in children: a proposal for a structured approach on behalf of the working group chronic respiratory insufficiency within the German-speaking society of pediatric pulmonology.

The number of children with tracheostomies with and without home mechanical ventilation has grown continuously in recent years. For some of these children, the need for tracheostomy resolves and the child can be weaned from the tracheal cannula. Choosing the optimal time point for decannulation after elaborated prior diagnostic work-up needs careful consideration.

High Prevalence of Alternative Diagnoses in Children and Adolescents with Suspected Long COVID-A Single Center Cohort Study.

Background: Long COVID (LC) is a diagnosis that requires exclusion of alternative somatic and mental diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of differential diagnoses in suspected pediatric LC patients and assess whether adult LC symptom clusters are applicable to pediatric patients.

Materials And Methods: Pediatric presentations at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Department of the University Hospital Essen (Germany) were assessed retrospectively.

Epidemiological trends in nontuberculous mycobacterial infection among people with cystic fibrosis in Germany.

Objectives: People with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) are at risk for infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The epidemiology and screening practice of NTM among pwCF in Germany are largely unknown and require investigation.

Methods: We analyzed the data of the German Cystic Fibrosis Registry from 2016 to 2020 for NTM.

Development of restrictive eating disorders in children and adolescents with long-COVID-associated smell and taste dysfunction.

Background: Absent or abnormal senses of smell and taste have been frequently reported during both acute and long COVID in adult patients. In contrast, pediatric patients who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 are often asymptomatic and the loss of smell and/or taste has been infrequently reported. After observing several young patients with COVID-associated anosmia and ageusia at our clinic, we decided to investigate the incidence of subsequent eating disorders in these patients and in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients who did not experience anosmia and ageusia during the same period.

Multiple breath washout lung function reveals ventilation inhomogeneity unresponsive to mechanical assisted cough in patients with neuromuscular disease.

Background: Respiratory involvement defines the clinical outcome of neuromuscular diseases (NMD). The lung clearance index (LCI) is a marker of lung ventilation inhomogeneity and indicates small airway disease. It is determined by mulitple breath washout lung function (MBW).

Indications and outcome of home high-flow nasal therapy in children, a single-center experience.

High-flow nasal therapy (HFNT) is a safe and simple way to deliver humidified air and oxygen for respiratory support in infants and children. HFNT is well established in an inpatient setting, but home HFNT lacks evidence. In the current study, we studied characteristics and outcomes of pediatric patients with home HFNT.

Nusinersen does not improve lung function in a cohort of children with spinal muscular atrophy - A single-center retrospective study.

Objective: To examine the effect of intrathecal application of nusinersen on the respiratory function in terms of vital capacity in pediatric patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMA is characterized by on-going muscular atrophy and weakness that lead to respiratory insufficiency. In recent years therapy with nusinersen has been shown to improve motor function in patients with SMA.

Home Noninvasive Ventilation in Pediatric Subjects With Neuromuscular Diseases: One Size Fits All.

Background: Home noninvasive ventilation (NIV) improves disease courses of patients with respiratory insufficiency due to neuromuscular diseases. Data about appropriate ventilator settings for pediatric patients are missing.

Methods: In this retrospective study, ventilator settings of 128 subjects with neuromuscular disease aged 0-17 y with NIV were compared between 4 age groups (< 1 y, 0-5 y, 6-11 y, and 12-17 y).

Reducing the frequency of respiratory tract infections in severe neurological disorders by inhaled antibiotics: a retrospective data analysis.

Background: In patients with severe neurological impairment, recurrent respiratory tract infections frequently occur as a result of impaired clearance of airway secretions and microbial airway colonisation. We hypothesised that inhaled antibiotic therapy may improve the morbidity of these patients.

Methods: A retrospective data analysis of 20 patients (11 nontracheotomised and nine tracheotomised) with neurological impairment and microbial airway colonisation was carried out at a children's university hospital.

A proteomics approach for the identification of species-specific immunogenic proteins in the Mycobacterium abscessus complex.

The Mycobacterium abscessus complex can cause fatal pulmonary disease, especially in cystic fibrosis patients. Diagnosing M. abscessus complex pulmonary disease is challenging.

Rapid detection and immune characterization of Mycobacterium abscessus infection in cystic fibrosis patients.

Cystic fibrosis patients are highly susceptible to infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Especially Mycobacterium abscessus infections are common but reliable diagnosis is hampered by non-specific clinical symptoms and insensitive mycobacterial culture. In the present study we established novel methods for rapid detection and immune characterization of Mycobacterium abscessus infection in cystic fibrosis patients.

Use of a commercial PCR-based line blot method for identification of bacterial pathogens and the mecA and van genes from BacTAlert blood culture bottles.

In this study, the PCR-based DNA strip assay GenoType BC for the identification of bacteria and the resistance genes mecA, vanA, vanB, vanC1, and vanC2/3 directly from positive BacTAlert blood culture bottles was evaluated in a multicenter study. Of a total of 511 positive blood cultures, correct identification percentages for Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and the mecA gene were 96.1%, 89.