M.I. de José

Achromobacter xylosoxidans Bacteremia: A 10-Year Analysis of 54 Cases

Fifty-four cases of Achromobacter xylosoxidans bacteremia diagnosed over a 10-year period in patients from 2 months to 87 years of age were reviewed. Fifty-two episodes were nosocomial. The most frequent underlying condition was neoplasm (solid or hematological). The source of infection was a contaminated intravenous catheter in 35 patients (60%) and pneumonia in 6 patients. Eight (15%) patients died. The only risk factors significantly associated with mortality were age over 65 years and neutropenia. The results of in vitro susceptibility studies of the isolates showed that antibiotic therapy with antipseudomonal penicillins or carbapenems would be a reasonable choice. An epidemiological study conducted in the hemodialysis unit showed Achromobacter xylosoxidans in tap water and on the hands of two healthcare workers but not in the hemodialysis systems. Patients were probably contaminated when healthcare workers manipulated the intravenous catheters without wearing gloves.

Opportunistic infections and organ‐specific diseases in HIV‐1‐infected children: a cohort study (1990–2006)

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically changed the natural history of HIV infection in children, but there are few studies in the literature about the incidence of clinical manifestations after HAART in this population, compared with adults. The aim of this study was to describe the influence of the widespread use of HAART on the development of opportunistic infections and organ‐specific diseases in HIV‐infected children.

Etravirine-based highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected paediatric patients

We evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of etravirine in paediatric patients vertically infected with HIV‐1.

Exposición a antirretrovirales y crecimiento en una cohorte de niños no infectados, hijos de madre con VIH positivo

INTRODUCTION Recent reports show that Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) during pregnancy does not affect somatic growth of children born to HIV-infected mothers, are reassuring. The aim of this study is to perform an anthropometric analysis of the uninfected children followed in the Spanish FIPSE cohort during their first 18 months of life, and to describe the possible risk factors during pregnancy that may influence low birth weight. METHODS The FIPSE cohort includes 8 public hospitals in Madrid, and prospectively follows children born to HIV-infected women at these hospitals. We collected data on 601 uninfected children, following standardised protocols, during their first 2 years of life. A P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Data from the Pablo Orbegozo Foundation were used to compare the means of our population with the standard weight, longitude an occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) of the Spanish population during the first 18 months of life. RESULTS The mean weight was 2766g (+/-590), and 2967g (+/-427) when premature neonates were excluded. The proportion of Intrauterine Growth Restriction among non- premature neonates was 19.8% (95% CI: 16.3-23.8). Children born to mothers that used illicit drugs weighed less: 2752g (+/-325) vs. 3002g (+/ 435), P<0.001, as did children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy: 2842g (+/-363) vs. 3018g (+/-444), P>0.001. Maternal anaemia did not influence the low birth weight of the children when premature neonates were excluded. We found no statistically significant differences depending on the ART received during pregnancy. Children born to mothers who had CD4 > 500 cell /mm were heavier (2834g +/-503) than those whose mothers had CD4 of less than 200 cell/mm (2565g +/-702), P=0.008. These differences disappeared when premature neonates were excluded. Children born to mothers with undetectable viral load were heavier (2866g +/-532 vs. 2704g +/-588, P=0.005), but these differences also disappeared when the prematures were excluded from the analysis. Mean weight, length, and OFC of our population at birth (excluding premature neonates) were lower than the Spanish standards. (z for weight=-0.83; z for length =-1.02; z for OFC=-1.00), but these differences are not statistically significant and disappear at 18 months of age (z for weight=-0.08; z for height=-0.32; z for OFC=-0.31). The type of ART did not have any significant influence. DISCUSSION There is a very significant difference between the weight of the children born to mothers addicted to illicit drugs and the rest of the children. Similarly, the weight of the children born to smoking mothers is significantly lower. There was no association between maternal anaemia and the type of ART. The children of our population have lower weights, length and OFC at birth, but this may due to the high number of scheduled caesarean births, practised at 38 weeks of pregnancy (54.5%). Our children catch-up with anthropometric measurements during the first and second year of life, and these are similar to Spanish standards at 18 months old.

Recomendaciones de la Sociedad Española de Infectología Pediátrica para el seguimiento del niño expuesto al virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana y a fármacos antirretrovirales durante el embarazo y el periodo neonatal

Human immunodeficiency virus vertical transmission in developed countries has dramatically decreased to less than 2% over the last 15 years due to the consecutive implementation of different prophylactic measures, including the use of antiretrovirals, elective cesarean section and refraining from breastfeeding. The follow-up of these otherwise healthy children is, by far, the most common situation related to HIV infection that general pediatricians currently face in routine clinical care in Spain. These recommendations issued by the Spanish Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases attempt to summarize the main aspects of this follow-up, including birth management, type of feeding, neonatal antiretroviral prophylaxis, HIV infection diagnosis, common early comorbidities, short- and mid-term toxicities, vaccination and other prophylactic measures and long-term follow-up.

CCR5 genotype and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in perinatally exposed infants

In summary, the case presented here emphasises that endocarditis due to Scedosporium apiospermum should also be considered in patients without a prosthetic valve and without chronic immunosuppression because identification of this fungus is often delayed and therapy with amphotericin B, the drug of choice for severe fungal infections, is ineffective against Scedosporium apiospermum (Pseudallescheria boydii) infections.

Exposición a antirretrovirales y toxicidad mitocondrial en una cohorte de niños no infectados hijos de madres VIH positivas

INTRODUCTION In this study, we attempt to find out the percentage of uninfected infants born to HIV-infected women and exposed in-utero and perinatally to Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) that show high lactate levels, or any other mitochondrial damage markers (such as hypertransaminasaemia or hyperamylasaemia), during the first three months of age. We shall also establish whether certain drugs used in-utero are associated with higher lactate, transaminase or amylase levels. METHODS We analysed the available data from 623 uninfected infants born in the Spanish FIPSE cohort that were born in the period 2000-2005. The normal values for lactate, transaminases and amylase were set according to AIDS Clinical Groups Trials toxicity tables for infants. RESULTS The percentages of children with high lactate levels at 0.5; 1.5 and 3 months of age were 48%, 51.4% and 43% among those infants with available data. Respectively, the percentages of children with high AST values were 13.2; 10.4 and 17.2%. The values for high ALT were 3.3%; 3.4% and 5%. The percentages for hyperamylasaemia were 0%; 0.6% and 2.6%. We found no significant difference among the drugs used in utero for the four analysed biochemical markers along the first three months of age. CONCLUSIONS We have found a high proportion of hyperlactataemia among infants exposed in-utero to ART, as shown in other cohorts of similar characteristics. No morbidity or mortality was communicated to the cohort analysis group. No ART drug among those used in-utero was statistically associated with a higher proportion of high lactate levels in these infants.