Clinical and diagnostic features of central nervous system tuberculosis in Indian children - a descriptive study.

Background: Children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) present with diagnostic challenges as they often have atypical clinical features.

Objective: To describe the baseline characteristic features of children diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) TB (TBM and tuberculoma).

Design: Retrospective descriptive study.

Xpert MTB/RIF assay in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children in tertiary care setting in South India.

Xpert MTB/RIF is recommended for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in children. We determined the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in children. The characteristics of children influencing Xpert MTB/RIF positivity were explored.

Paediatric pulmonary disease-are we diagnosing it right?

Background: It has been reported that differential diagnosis of bacterial or viral pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB) in infants and young children is complex. This could be due to the difficulty in microbiological confirmation in this age group. In this study, we aimed to assess the utility of a real-time multiplex PCR for diagnosis of respiratory pathogens in children with pulmonary TB.

Sex-specific differences in systemic immune responses in MIS-C children.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a rare manifestation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that can result in increased morbidity and mortality. Mounting evidence describes sex disparities in the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there is a lack of information on sex-specific differences in immune responses in MIS-C.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children characterized by enhanced antigen-specific T-cell expression of cytokines and its reversal following recovery.

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) in children is considered to be a post-infectious complication of COVID-19. T-cell responses in children with this condition have not been well-studied.

Methods: We aimed to study the immune responses in children with MIS in comparison to children with acute COVID-19 and children with other infections.

Role of matrix metalloproteinases in multi-system inflammatory syndrome and acute COVID-19 in children.

Introduction: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a serious inflammatory sequela of SARS-CoV2 infection. The pathogenesis of MIS-C is vague and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may have an important role. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are known drivers of lung pathology in many diseases.

Unique cellular immune signatures of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

The clinical presentation of MIS-C overlaps with other infectious/non-infectious diseases such as acute COVID-19, Kawasaki disease, acute dengue, enteric fever, and systemic lupus erythematosus. We examined the ex-vivo cellular parameters with the aim of distinguishing MIS-C from other syndromes with overlapping clinical presentations. MIS-C children differed from children with non-MIS-C conditions by having increased numbers of naïve CD8+ T cells, naïve, immature and atypical memory B cells and diminished numbers of transitional memory, stem cell memory, central and effector memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, classical, activated memory B and plasma cells and monocyte (intermediate and non-classical) and dendritic cell (plasmacytoid and myeloid) subsets.

Comparison of two mycobacterial strains in performance of the whole blood mycobacterial growth inhibition assay in Indian children.

A major challenge in tuberculosis is identifying correlates of a protective immune response. The Mycobacterial Growth Inhibition Assay (MGIA) is a functional assay providing an integrated measure of the host immune response to mycobacteria. However, its feasibility is limited by reliance on biosafety level 3 facilities, and its performance has not been widely evaluated in TB-endemic settings.

Enhanced Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Antigen-Specific Systemic Immune Responses in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children and Reversal After Recovery.

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) presents with inflammation and pathology of multiple organs in the pediatric population in the weeks following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Methods: We characterized the SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific cytokine and chemokine responses in children with MIS-C, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and other infectious diseases.

Results: MIS-C is characterized by elevated levels of type 1 (interferon-γ, interleukin [IL] 2), type 2 (IL-4, IL-13), type 17 (IL-17), and other proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6, IL-12p70, IL-18, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) in comparison to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases following stimulation with SARS-CoV-2-specific antigens.

Randomized Clinical Trial of High-Dose Rifampicin With or Without Levofloxacin Versus Standard of Care for Pediatric Tuberculous Meningitis: The TBM-KIDS Trial.

Background: Pediatric tuberculous meningitis (TBM) commonly causes death or disability. In adults, high-dose rifampicin may reduce mortality. The role of fluoroquinolones remains unclear.

Drug resistant TB spine in a two year old child: A case report.

Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a disease of high morbidity that is associated with deformity and neurological sequelae, especially in growing children. Children diagnosed with spinal TB need to be monitored closely for clinical improvements. Previous history of antituberculous therapy (ATT), poor adherence to previous ATT, contact with persons having known drug-resistant (DR) TB, or clinical worsening despite regular ATT are strong indicators for the diagnosis of DR TB of the spine.

Adult Form of Scimitar Syndrome Presenting as Severe Pulmonary Hypertension in a Child.

Background: Scimitar syndrome is a rare association of congenital cardiopulmonary anomalies; the adult form is not usually is associated with pulmonary hypertension.

Case Characteristics: 6-year-old girl with recurrent episodes of cough and breathlessness, along with features of right heart enlargement. Computed tomography angiogram revealed right pulmonary veins draining into inferior vena cava with dextroposition of heart.