Rickettsia spp. 364D causing a cluster of eschar-associated illness, California.

We describe the clinical course of the first 3 pediatric cases infected with Rickettsia spp. 364D. Although the pathogen was identified in California ticks decades ago, only recently have human cases been documented.

Prevalence of occult anemia in an urban pediatric emergency department: what is our response?

Objective: Treating or referring patients who are found to be anemic during pediatric emergency department (ED) encounters should lead to improved health in children and young adults. Before establishing guidelines how to approach the anemic in the pediatric ED, it is essential to determine the prevalence of anemia in the ED and our response to the presence of anemia.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study on hemoglobin levels from patients 1 to 23 years evaluated in an inner-city public hospital pediatric ED during a 12-month period.