Effect of childhood obesity on admissions for respiratory disease.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess for an association between higher body mass index and disease severity, morbidity and mortality in children admitted for an acute respiratory distress and failure.

Methods: A single-institution retrospective cross-sectional study performed in the United States evaluating paediatric patients, 2-20 years of age, admitted for diagnoses related to acute respiratory distress and acute respiratory failure. Main outcomes include disease severity as assessed using the respiratory component of the Paediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) with adjustment for altered mental status (Resp-PEWS + AMS), hospital or intensive care length of stay (LOS) and death.

Characterization of humoral immune responses to chlamydial HSP60, CPAF, and CT795 in inflammatory and severe trachoma.

Purpose: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) remains the leading global cause of preventable blindness. There are limited data on humoral immune responses in trachoma. Evaluating these responses is important for understanding host-pathogen interactions and informing vaccine design.