Patricia Murtagh

Adenovirus type 7h respiratory infections: a report of 29 cases of acute lower respiratory disease

Twenty‐nine cases of pediatric acute lower respiratory disease associated with adenovirus genome type 7h were evaluated retrospectively. They constituted 2.4% of 1233 cases of acute respiratory infections treated in five hospitals in Buenos Aires, between September 1984 and September 1988. Pneumonia and bronchiolitis were the principal diagnoses. The mean age of patients was 8.8 months and 82.7% of the children were less than one year of age. None of the patients had previously been exposed to measles or was immunocompromised. A mixed infection, viral or bacterial, was demonstrated in 8 of the 29 patients. Sixteen children developed a severe pulmonary disease which required intensive care. Ten with a clinical diagnosis of multifocal pneumonia and necrotizing bronchiolitis died. Extrapulmonary manifestations were observed in the most severe cases. Observations suggest a possible high pathogenicity of adenovirus type 7h and emphasize the need for adequate control and case management programs.

Lower respiratory infections by adenovirus in children. Clinical features and risk factors for bronchiolitis obliterans and mortality.

Adenovirus (Ad) respiratory infections have a profound impact in Argentina. Severe chronic disease and a high mortality rate are observed in children after acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) by Ad.

Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans in children: clinical and pulmonary function findings.

Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is an infrequent yet potentially severe disorder following acute lower pulmonary infection (ALRI) in children. In infants and young children PIBO have been strongly associated with Adenovirus (Ad). The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical features and pulmonary function findings in children with PIBO. Cases caused by Ad were compared with cases in which no viral agent was identified.

Molecular Characterization of an Adenovirus 3-16 Intertypic Recombinant Isolated in Argentina from an Infant Hospitalized with Acute Respiratory Infection

ABSTRACT An intertypic recombinant adenovirus with a serotype 3-like hexon gene and a serotype 16-like fiber (99% identical to that of the prototype strain of human adenovirus 16 [HAdV-16], Ch79) was isolated in Argentina from an infant admitted to the hospital with acute respiratory disease. Consistent with the results of molecular characterization, strain Arg827/04 was designated H3-F16.

Malformação adenomatoide cística congênita: características clínicas, conceitos patológicos e tratamento em 172 casos

OBJECTIVE: Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is the most common surgically resected pulmonary malformation in children. This retrospective study was undertaken to present the experience of 172 CCAM cases in a pediatric hospital. METHODS: Published series with a small number of patients reports details of lesions, progress and management. As this study addresses clinical characteristics, progress and surgical procedures in 172 children with CCAM diagnosis, the population includes cases treated and followed up in a pediatric hospital throughout 25 years (1986-2011). RESULTS: Mean age at diagnosis was 48 months (r = 0.03-213), 52% (n = 90) were male. The most common presenting symptoms were respiratory distress in children under 6 months of age (40%) and recurrent pneumonia in older ones (75%; p = 0.001). Lobectomy was the procedure of choice in the majority. All histological types were found: 1 (70%), 2 (24%), 4 (4%), and 0 and 3 (n = 1). A mixed pattern was observed in nine patients. Associated anomalies were found in 47% of children. The most frequent was sequestration (71%), mostly present in CCAM type 2 (p = 0.001). Severe anomalies were mostly related to type 2 (p = 0.008). A pleuropulmonary blastoma and a bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were also observed. Mortality was 5% (n = 9). Risk factors for mortality were respiratory failure (OR = 25.7 [95%CI 3.2-221]; p = 0.03), sepsis (OR = 9.9 [95%CI 8.2-12]; p = 0.002), respiratory assistance requirements (OR = 9.5 [95%CI 2.3-37]; p = 0.04), and severe associated comorbidities (OR = 3.3 [95%CI 1.2-22]; p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Related anomalies were observed in almost half of the population. Due to the possibility of recurrent infection or development of malignancies, surgical resection should be considered when CCAM is diagnosed. Surgical outcome is favorable with manageable complications.OBJECTIVE Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is the most common surgically resected pulmonary malformation in children. This retrospective study was undertaken to present the experience of 172 CCAM cases in a pediatric hospital. METHODS Published series with a small number of patients reports details of lesions, progress and management. As this study addresses clinical characteristics, progress and surgical procedures in 172 children with CCAM diagnosis, the population includes cases treated and followed up in a pediatric hospital throughout 25 years (1986-2011). RESULTS Mean age at diagnosis was 48 months (r = 0.03-213), 52% (n = 90) were male. The most common presenting symptoms were respiratory distress in children under 6 months of age (40%) and recurrent pneumonia in older ones (75%; p = 0.001). Lobectomy was the procedure of choice in the majority. All histological types were found: 1 (70%), 2 (24%), 4 (4%), and 0 and 3 (n = 1). A mixed pattern was observed in nine patients. Associated anomalies were found in 47% of children. The most frequent was sequestration (71%), mostly present in CCAM type 2 (p = 0.001). Severe anomalies were mostly related to type 2 (p = 0.008). A pleuropulmonary blastoma and a bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were also observed. Mortality was 5% (n = 9). Risk factors for mortality were respiratory failure (OR = 25.7 [95%CI 3.2-221]; p = 0.03), sepsis (OR = 9.9 [95%CI 8.2-12]; p = 0.002), respiratory assistance requirements (OR = 9.5 [95%CI 2.3-37]; p = 0.04), and severe associated comorbidities (OR = 3.3 [95%CI 1.2-22]; p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS Related anomalies were observed in almost half of the population. Due to the possibility of recurrent infection or development of malignancies, surgical resection should be considered when CCAM is diagnosed. Surgical outcome is favorable with manageable complications.

Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans in children: the South American contribution

Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is an infrequent chronic lung that causes irreversible obstruction and, or, obliteration of the smaller airways. This review particularly focuses on more than 30 studies from South America.

Molecular and serological characterization of species B2 adenovirus strains isolated from children hospitalized with acute respiratory disease in Buenos Aires, Argentina

BACKGROUND Between September 2000 and November 2005, approximately 10% of the retrospectively examined human adenovirus (HAdV)-positive pediatric cases of acute respiratory disease (ARD) requiring hospitalization at the Hospital Nacional de Pediatria Juan P. Garrahan in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were found to have a HAdV-B2 infection. OBJECTIVE To characterize genetically and antigenically the HAdV-B2 virus isolates. STUDY DESIGN Restriction enzyme analysis (REA), hexon and fiber gene sequencing and virus neutralization assays (VN) were carried out on 8 HAdV-B2 respiratory virus isolates. RESULTS REA showed that the 8 examined HAdV-B2 virus isolates were HAdV11, belonging to two genomic variants: HAdV11a and a BclI variant of HAdV11c which we designated 11c4. Molecular analysis of the hexon genes showed that both REA variants had a HAdV11-like hexon gene. Confirming previous reports, the 7 HAdV11a virus isolates were found to have HAdV14-like fiber genes and therefore are HAdV H11/F14. The fiber gene of the HAdV11c4 virus isolates most closely resembled that of various strains of HAdV7. In VN assays, the 4 tested HAdV11a strains were serotyped as HAdV11-14. The HAdV11c4 strain was serotyped as HAdV11 but also showed a weak but significant reactivity with antiserum to HAdV7. Compared with the other HAdV-positive cases in our study, infection with HAdV11 caused a similarly severe disease. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide evidence to the long term world-wide circulation of HAdV H11/F14 as a causative agent of ARD. Combined, our molecular and serology data support the rationale to base the molecular typing and designation of recombinant viruses on the sequences of the hexon and fiber genes.

Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections by Adenovirus in Children: Histopathologic Findings in 18 Fatal Cases

Adenoviruses (Ads) are the 2nd-most common cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections of viral etiology in immunocompetent children who require hospitalization in Argentina. A new pathogenic genomic variant, Ad7h, has been identified and was associated with severe sequelae and a high mortality rate. A retrospective observational study was conducted in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections between March 1988 and May 2005. Nasopharyngeal or tracheal aspirates, bacteriological analysis on blood samples and pleural fluids, and histopathologic studies on autopsies were performed. A total of 415 children were included in the study. Sixty-two patients died in the acute stage of illness (1–8 weeks), and postmortem examination was performed on 18 of them. Mean age was 8.25 months. The male to female ratio was 1.3:1. The Ad was genome typed in 9% of all children, of whom 29 corresponded to the Ad7h variant. This genome type was diagnosed in 7 of the autopsies performed. Necrotizing bronchitis and bronchiolitis with abundant typical adenoviral inclusion nuclear cells and diffuse alveolar damage were the most important findings. Superimposed bacterial infection occurred in 11 cases, and cytomegalovirus was found in 1. In our population, Ad respiratory infection was found to have a severe course with sequelae or death. No differences were observed between lesions caused by other previously described genome types and those found in cases in which Ad7h was identified.

Impact of a Home Oxygen Therapy Program for Young Infants with Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) ♦ 1207

Impact of a Home Oxygen Therapy Program for Young Infants with Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) ♦ 1207