Etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized children in northern Taiwan.

Background: Pneumonia is the leading reason for hospitalization in children. The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was introduced in Taiwan in October 2005. There has been no comprehensive study of the etiology of childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), either in the pre- or postpneumococcal conjugate vaccine era, in Taiwan.

Biofilm production, use of intravascular indwelling catheters and inappropriate antimicrobial therapy as predictors of fatality in Chryseobacterium meningosepticum bacteraemia.

Chryseobacterium meningosepticum usually causes infections in neonates and the immunocompromised. Treatment is handicapped by the organism's inherent multidrug resistance. In this study, the clinical characteristics of patients with C.

Probiotics have clinical, microbiologic, and immunologic efficacy in acute infectious diarrhea.

Background: Acute infectious diarrhea is a major cause of childhood morbidity and economic burden for families. We evaluate the clinical, microbiologic, and immunologic effects of probiotics in acute infectious diarrhea.

Methods: Children (n = 304) aged 3 months to 6 years hospitalized for acute diarrhea were randomized to receive Bio-three (a mixture of Bacillus mesentericus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Clostridium butyricum) or placebo orally 3 times daily for 7 days.

National survey of invasive pneumococcal diseases in Taiwan under partial PCV7 vaccination in 2007: emergence of serotype 19A with high invasive potential.

We conducted an active, population-based laboratory surveillance study to evaluate the epidemiologic features of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Taiwan. Concurrently, nasopharyngeal colonization of Streptococcus pneumoniae was evaluated among 1128 healthy children aged View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Seroprevalence of SARS Coronavirus Among Residents Near a Hospital with a Nosocomial Outbreak.

Background/purpose: An epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in Taiwan from April to July 2003. A nosocomial outbreak of SARS occurred at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) in May 2003. The purpose of our study was to survey the prevalence of the SARS coronavirus (CoV) in a community adjacent to Kaohsiung CGMH and collect demographic data, including basic information about health status, household, and possible risk factors for SARS-CoV infection.

Booster vaccination at 6-8 years of age with a reduced antigen content dTpa-IPV vaccine is immunogenic and safe after priming with whole-cell pertussis vaccine.

Pertussis vaccines containing reduced amounts of antigen have been considered primarily for use in adolescents and adults to date. We evaluated a reduced antigen content combined diphtheria tetanus acellular pertussis and inactivated polio vaccine (dTpa-IPV) in 6-8 years old children in Taiwan, who had received 4 doses of DTPw (combined diphtheria, tetanus, whole cell pertussis vaccine) and OPV (oral polio vaccine). One month after the booster dose, seroprotection rates and vaccine response rates to all antigens were at least 98.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella bacteremia in previously healthy children: analysis of 199 episodes.

Background: Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) bacteremia is not rare in otherwise healthy children in Taiwan. Few studies described the clinical manifestations and outcomes of NTS bacteremia in previously healthy children.

Methods: Children with blood culture positive for NTS treated at Chang Gung Children's Hospital between May 1996 and June 2003 were identified from the microbiology logbook.

One-year post-primary antibody persistence and booster immune response to a fully liquid five-component acellular pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, inactivated poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine.

Objective: To evaluate antibody persistence one year after three-dose primary vaccination and booster immune response during the second year of life for a fully liquid diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliomyelitis-Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP-IPV-PRP approximately T) vaccine.

Methods: Infants at 18-19 months of age were given a booster dose of either DTaP-IPV-PRP approximately T (group A) or DTaP-IPV plus PRP approximately T at separate injection sites (group B), after primary vaccination at two, four and six months of age, with the same vaccines. Antibody concentrations were measured pre- and post-booster.

A fully liquid diphtheria-tetanus-five component acellular pertussis-inactivated poliomyelitis--Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine: immunogenicity and safety of primary vaccination in Taiwanese infants.

Objective: To assess the immunogenicity of a fully liquid diphtheria-tetanus-five component acellular pertussis-inactivated poliomyelitis-Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP-IPV-Hib) conjugate vaccine compared to DTaP-IPV and lyophilized Hib conjugate vaccines given simultaneously at separate sites as a three-dose primary vaccination in Taiwanese infants.

Methods: Two hundred infants were randomized to receive either DTaP-IPV-Hib or DTaP-IPV plus Hib vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Both combined vaccines contained the same five pertussis antigens: pertussis toxoid (PT), filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin (PRN), fimbriae 2 and 3 (FIM 2&3).

Invasion of murine respiratory tract epithelial cells by Chryseobacterium meningosepticum and identification of genes present specifically in an invasive strain.

Chryseobacterium meningosepticum causes severe infections in infants or adults with underlying illness. The species is highly heterogeneous, genetically composed of subgroups with different pathogenicity. Eight strains of C.

Clinical responses of patients with Kawasaki disease to different brands of intravenous immunoglobulin.

Objective: To determine whether different brands of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administered to children with Kawasaki disease (KD) result in different outcomes.

Study Design: We analyzed children with KD and divided them into 4 groups according to the brand of IVIG. A coronary artery abnormality (CAA) was defined as having a lumen diameter (inner border to inner border) of > or =3 mm in KD cases <5 years old and > or =4 mm in cases > or =5 years old, and giant aneurysm was defined as a lumen diameter > or =8 mm.

Human metapneumovirus and community-acquired pneumonia in children.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was first recognized in the Netherlands in 2001 from nasopharyngeal aspirate samples and was associated with respiratory tract illness in the pediatric population. This was the first report of metapneumovirus infections in community-acquired pneumonia in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 116 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples from patients with community-acquired pneumonia was examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Clinical and laboratory manifestations of Kikuchi's disease in children and differences between patients with and without prolonged fever.

Background: Kikuchi's disease (KD) is characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy with or without fever. It has been recognized worldwide but seldom reported in pediatric patients.

Methods: From January 1985 through December 2001, 64 patients younger than 18 years of age with pathologic proof of KD were enrolled in this study.

Chlamydial pneumonia in children requiring hospitalization: effect of mixed infection on clinical outcome.

The etiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in a children's hospital was studied among 209 previously healthy children treated from August 1, 2001 to July 31, 2002. A total of 26 children (12.4%) with a diagnosis of chlamydial infection were included in this study.

Bordetella pertussis infection in northern Taiwan, 1997-2001.

The clinical presentations of laboratory-confirmed Bordetella pertussis infection in Chang Gung Children's Hospital during 1997 and 2001 were analyzed. Of the 46 cases, 25 (54.3%) were male.

Comparison of multiplex polymerase chain reaction, culture, and serology for the diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis infection.

Background: Accurate diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis infection is difficult. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are more sensitive than culture, but the reported sensitivity is variable. We prospectively compared the performance of culture, serology, and a multiplex PCR for the detection of B.

Clinical and microbiological analysis of bloodstream infections caused by Chryseobacterium meningosepticum in nonneonatal patients.

Chryseobacterium meningosepticum bloodstream infections in 11 nonneonatal patients were reported. More than half of the infections were community acquired. PCR assays indicated that the organisms produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases as well as metallo-beta-lactamases.

Skin manifestations of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: case report and review.

Unlabelled: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a histiocytic necrotising lymphadenitis, which is a benign disease of unknown aetiology. Misdiagnosing KFD as lymphoma or systemic lupus erythematosus is not uncommon due to the similarity of clinical and histopathological features of these diseases. A 12-year-old female suffered from cervical lymphadenopathy, leukocytopenia, fever and especially skin rash.

Transcranial Doppler sonography in the early stage of critical enteroviral infection.

Objective: There is a high fatality rate in enteroviral infection with central nervous system involvement. Our aim was to investigate the change in intracranial blood flow to disclose the characteristic findings in the early stage of critical enteroviral infection.

Methods: We examined 27 patients in critical condition with enteroviral infection in our pediatric intensive care unit.

Clinical characteristics of children with influenza A virus infection requiring hospitalization.

From September 1997 to March 2002, a total of 84 children were admitted to Chang Gung Children's Hospital due to influenza A virus infection. Influenza A virus infection was documented in 61 cases by viral isolation from throat and in 23 cases by serologic studies. The mean age of patients was 43.