Impact of COVID-19 on Outpatient Malnutrition Centers in Urban and Rural Burkina Faso.

Although the numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections and related deaths are relatively low in sub-Saharan Africa, the pandemic might lead to a high indirect death toll there. We determined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of malnourished children in urban and rural areas. We analyzed data from two Centers for Rehabilitation, Education & Nutrition (CRENs), one in the capital and one in a rural center, both run by the Camillian Fathers.

Transition of adolescents living with HIV from pediatric to adult care, a retrospective 12-year Single Center Study from the Sahel Region in West-Africa.

Transition is the next major hurdle in the field of HIV-infected youth, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. At St Camille Hospital in Ouagadougou, fully informed and compliant patients over 13-years-old were eligible for referral to the adult HIV/AIDS service, after completion of an individualized preparatory process. Transition consisted in at least two consecutive "joined-service" appointments in the respective facilities.

Nonenteric Adenoviruses Associated with Gastroenteritis in Hospitalized Children.

The object of this study was to investigate the frequency of human adenovirus (HAdV) infections in hospitalized pediatric patients. Stool samples were collected during a 1-year period (February 2018 to January 2019). HAdV was detected by a broad-range PCR and genotyped by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.

CD34+ Stem Cell Selection and CD3+ T Cell Add-Back from Matched Unrelated Adult Donors in Children with Primary Immunodeficiencies and Hematological Diseases.

Less than 25% of children who require hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) or genetic hematological diseases have an HLA-identical sibling. For them, a matched unrelated donor (MUD), although baring a greater risk of graft failure, delayed engraftment and immune reconstitution, and severe graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), represents a valid alternative. The stem cell source is also important, as unprocessed peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) contain 5 to 10 times more T cells than bone marrow (BM)-derived grafts, a major risk especially for small children with PID.

Impact of Ethnicity on COVID-19 Related Hospitalizations in Children During the First Pandemic Wave in Northern Italy.

There is increasing evidence that black people and other minorities have a higher incidence of severe COVID-19 disease, but little is known about the situation of children, especially in Europe. In general children are less infected and if so, frequently show mild or asymptomatic disease, making conclusions difficult. We collected data on SARS-CoV-2 associated hospitalizations in a well-defined population of 550,180 children up to 15 years in five hub-centers during the "first wave" at the heart of the pandemic in Northern Italy.

Possible Impact of COVID-19 on Children in Africa, Reflections from Italy and Burkina Faso.

Africa is the World Health Organization-region least affected by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Here, we compare the situation in severely hit Italy with that in less hit Burkina Faso, focussing on the differences in epidemiological, geographical, demographical, cultural and medical conditions to highlight how a full-blown war on the pandemic can impact on other, equally important aspects of global child health.

Persistent Infection with Rotavirus Vaccine Strain in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) Child: Is Rotavirus Vaccination in SCID Children a Janus Face?

We report the first case, to our knowledge, in Italy, of a severe combined immunodeficiency patient with a persistent rotavirus infection due to a vaccine derived strain. Rotavirus was detected by enzyme immunoassays and RT-PCR in stool specimens for five months. The persistent infection was resolved after complete immune reconstitution achieved by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Primary Immunodeficiencies and Oncological Risk: The Experience of the Children's Hospital of Brescia.

Primary immunodeficiencies (PID) are characterized by recurrent infections and increased risk of malignancies because of the reduced immunological surveillance against cancer cells and oncogenic viruses. We report the incidence of tumors among 690 patients with PID, diagnosed from 1990 until 2017 in Brescia. Out of 690 patients, 25 patients (3.

Clinical and Prognostic Role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Pediatric Ewing Sarcoma.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is one of the most common pediatric solid tumors with aggressive behavior and unfavorable survival. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of baseline and restaging fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) scans and their possible prognostic role in pediatric ES. We evaluated 17 patients who underwent a total of 27 18F-FDG-PET/CT scans (10 for staging and 17 for restaging).

A Novel t(8;14)(q24;q11) Rearranged Human Cell Line as a Model for Mechanistic and Drug Discovery Studies of NOTCH1-Independent Human T-Cell Leukemia.

-translocated T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a rare subgroup of T-ALL associated with deletions, inactivation, and absence of or mutations. This subtype of T-ALL has been associated with induction failure and aggressive disease. Identification of drug targets and mechanistic insights for this disease are still limited.

Efficacy of a Solution Composed by Verbascoside, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Sodium Hyaluronate in the Treatment of Chemotherapy-induced Oral Mucositis in Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a solution composed by verbascoside, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and sodium hyaluronate (Mucosyte) in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositi (OM). Patients between 5 and 18 years receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and with OM grade 1 or 2 were randomized in group A (treated with Mucosyte, 3 mouthwashes/d per 8 d) and group B (treated with placebo, ie, an inert water-based solution, 3 mouthwashes/d per 8 d). The OM scoring was performed at day 1 (diagnosis of OM-T0), after 3 days of treatment (T1), and at day 8 (T2).

Low-level laser therapy for treatment of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in childhood: a randomized double-blind controlled study.

The aim of this study was to verify if low-level laser therapy could be useful to reduce chemotherapy-related oral mucositis grading and pain in childhood undergoing chemotherapy. A randomized double-blind clinical trial was carried out. Patients from 3 to 18 years of age undergoing cancer therapy and presenting OM grade 2 or more were eligible for this study.

Taste dysfunction in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Clinical evaluation in children.

The aim of this study was to determine the variability of TD in children undergoing HSCT. Cases were identified as consecutively enrolled children in the period January 2011-January 2013 among patients attending the Paediatric Department of Spedali Civili of Brescia and all candidates to HSCT. The TST was conducted in two phases: identification of threshold values and identification of perceived stimulus intensity.

Clinical and molecular description of a Wilms tumor in a patient with tuberous sclerosis complex.

We report on a girl affected with tuberous sclerosis, carrying a germline de novo TSC2 mutation, c.4934-4935delTT, leading to a p.F1645CfsX7, who developed a unilateral Wilms tumor (WT).

Epstein-Barr virus-associated adrenal smooth muscle tumors and disseminated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a child with common variable immunodeficiency: a case report and review of the literature.

This article reports the clinical and the histological features in a 7-year-old girl affected by common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) who developed multiple Epstein-Barr virus-associated tumors, represented by bilateral adrenal smooth muscle tumors (EBV-SMT) and multifocal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The EBV-SMTs showed features compatible with a benign or at least a low-malignant potential neoplasm. A peculiar feature observed in both EBV-SMTs was the occurrence of numerous lymphocytes intermingled with the spindle cells, which consisted of CD3+ CD5+ T-cells, with a predominant cytotoxic CD8+ component.

Varicella zoster virus-induced hemolytic crisis in an infant with severe vitamin B 12 deficiency.

Background: Vitamin B 12 deficiency is an uncommon disorder in infancy. Most cases are because of maternal deficiency resulting from insufficient storage and/or reduced intake and are generally seen in exclusively breast-fed infants. Accentuation of the hemolytic process has never been described in association with Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) infections.

Antiretroviral (ARV) Therapy in Resource Poor Countries: What do we Need in Real Life?

Significant progresses have been made in the last 5 years towards the ultimate goal to provide universal access to care for all HIV/AIDS patients needing antiretroviral treatment in resource-poor countries. However, many barriers are still to be overcome, including () cost of care for the individual, () stigma, () lack of qualified human resources and infrastructure, especially in the rural setting, () rescue drugs for failing patients and () pediatric formulations. Priority actions to be promoted if the fight against HIV/AIDS is to be successful include: (i) promoting access to care in the rural areas, (ii) strengthening of basic health infrastructures, (iii) waiving of users' fee to get ARV, (iv) a larger variety of drugs, with particular regard to fixed dose combination third line drugs and pediatric formulations, (v) local quality training and (vi) high quality basic and translational research.

Application and implementation of the GINA asthma guidelines by specialist and primary care physicians: a longitudinal follow-up study on 264 children.

Aims: To implement GINA guidelines and to assess their impact on the management of childhood asthma.

Methods: A working group of primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists developed a GINA-based clinical pathway. We then monitored the impact on 385 children (aged 0-15 years) referred to the respiratory outpatients clinic at the University Children's Hospital, Brescia, Italy by 179 PCPs between September 2003 and July 2005.