Community-acquired Pneumonia In Children Research Articles

Age-related effects of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and subsequent asthma exacerbation in children.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes community-acquired pneumonia in children and increases asthma risk, but large studies are lacking. To assess the link between M. pneumoniae infection and to asthma exacerbation, in children with allergies, and age of infection impact. This retrospective cohort study analyzed medical records of South Korean children between January 2002 and December 2017. The study's exposure was hospitalization with an M. pneumoniae-related diagnosis, and the outcome was defined as asthma exacerbation, confirmed by hospitalization at least 6 months after M. pneumoniae infection, with alternative validation using asthma diagnosis and systemic steroid prescription records. Hazard ratios (HRs) for asthma exacerbation risk were estimated for the matched cohort using a Cox proportional hazards model stratified by allergic comorbidities. Time-dependent covariates and age-stratified exposure groups were used to calculate odds ratios. The study included 84,074 children with M. pneumoniae infection and 336,296 unexposed children. Follow-up for 12.2 ± 2.3 years found the exposed group had a significant risk of asthma exacerbation (HR 2.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.67-3.06) regardless of allergic comorbidities. The risk was highest (over threefold) in children infected between 24 and 71 months. Sensitivity analysis using an alternative definition of the outcome showed an HR of 1.38 (95% CI 1.35-1.42), further supporting the association between M. pneumoniae infection and asthma exacerbation. M. pneumoniae infection was significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent asthma exacerbation regardless of allergic comorbidities. Further research needed for understanding and confirmation.

A comparative study of general and severe mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children

ObjectivesThe increasing prevalence of severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP) poses a significant threat to the health of children. This study aimed to characterise and assess the outcomes in children with SMPP.MethodsWe retrospectively analysed children hospitalised for M. pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) between January and December 2022. Retrospectively, demographic, clinical, underlying diseases, laboratory and radiological findings, and treatment outcomes were collected and analysed. Disease severity was defined as severe or general according to the Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in children (2019 version).ResultsOver a 12-month observation period, 417 children with MPP were enrolled, 50.6% (211/417) of whom had SMPP, with the peak incidence observed in winter. Of the 211 children with SMPP, 210 were treated and discharged with improvement, while one child with congenital heart disease died of cardioembolic stroke. A significantly higher proportion of patients with SMPP had underlying diseases, extrapulmonary complications (myocardial and digestive system involvement), and bacterial co-infection. A total of 25 (12%) children with SMPP received mechanical ventilation. The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 3 days. All children were treated with macrolide antibiotic. A significantly higher proportion of patients with SMPP received antibiotic other than macrolides, methylprednisolone sodium succinate, intravenous immunoglobulin and anticoagulation, compared with patients with general MPP (GMPP). Children with SMPP had significantly higher levels of white blood cells, neutrophil percentage, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and significantly lower percentages of lymphocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cells, compared with GMPP group.ConclusionOur findings suggest that severely ill children have more pronounced inflammatory reaction and extrapulmonary complications. For effective management of children with SMPP, hormonal, prophylactic, anticoagulant therapy, as well as the use of antibiotics other than macrolides for bacterial co-infections, could be incorporated into treatment regimens.

Impact of antibiotic treatment duration on community-acquired pneumonia in children: a systematic review

The treatment of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with antibiotics is important due to its substantial global health impact. To support clinical practice and antibiotic stewardship, this narrative review investigates the effects of the length of antibiotic therapy on the outcomes of childhood CAP. A thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar produced English articles published in the last ten years (2019–2024) and looked at the connection between the length of antibiotic therapy and the outcomes of community-associated pneumonia in children. There is increasing evidence to support the similarity of shorter and longer antibiotic regimens for treating juvenile community-acquired pneumonia. Research continuously shows that shorter periods of antibiotic therapy—usually five days—produce similar clinical results as lengthier regimens that last seven to 10 days. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on tailored treatment plans that take into account the child's age, the severity of the symptoms, and regional trends of antibiotic resistance. The included studies, albeit observational and retrospective, provide important insights into the safety, effectiveness, and consequences of various antibiotic regimens in the therapy of pediatric CAP. This review emphasizes the significance of evidence-based strategies to maximize antibiotic treatment for pediatric CAP, while also noting research limitations. More research is required to enhance treatment methods and results for kids with CAP. This includes carefully planned randomized controlled trials and integrated diagnostic tools.  

Point of care lung ultrasonographic findings in patients with clinical diagnosis of severe childhood community acquired pneumonia in the tropics

Objectives: This study aimed at defining the Lung ultrasonographic (LUS) features of severe Childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in under-5s with clinical pneumonia, as well as the correlation between clinical and ultrasonographic findings. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive study conducted at the Children Emergency Ward of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria over a 1-year period. Children aged 1month to 59 months, with clinical features of severe pneumonia were recruited for the study. LUS was done at the bedside. Ethical approval was obtained for the study. Results: There were 86 children with mean age ± SD of 13.59 ± 15.55 and 50 (58.1%) males. The highest number of patients (56, 65.1%) were in the 1-12-month age group. Ultrasonographic signs of pneumonia were detected in 68 (79.1%) of the children; 55(64%) had consolidation, 29(23.3%) showed florid B-lines and 20 (23.3%) had pleural fluid. Duration of cough, and crackles on auscultation were the only features that showed significant association with the LUS diagnosis of pneumonia. Conclusion: LUS is a good point of care diagnosis of CAP in under-5 children and it can be safely done at the bedside. It is therefore recommended as a first line imaging modality in children with clinical suspicion of CAP in the Tropics.

A left-sided destroyed lung in a 11-year-old girl: A rare sequela after Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia in children, usually experiencing a favorable prognosis.Cases of M. pneumoniae infection resulting in respiratory failure, severe pulmonary or extrapulmonary sequelae, and death are relatively rare.Currently, no cases related to a destroyed lung with Mycoplasma-associated infection have been reported.Therefore, we report a case of a destroyed lung in an 11-year-old girl with Mycoplasma-associated infection.

Community-acquired pneumonia in young children living in various climatogeographic zones of the Republic of Dagestan

Introduction. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in early childhood continues to cause significant morbidity and remains one of the most common serious infections in childhood. Each region of the Russian Federation exhibits specific manifestations of CAP morbidity. Knowledge of CAP etiology is crucial for planning therapeutic and preventive measures. 
 Aim. To determine the etiological and immunological features of CAP in early childhood, residing in various climatogeographical zones of the Republic of Dagestan.
 Materials and methods. The material includes the results of examination and treatment of CAP 204 young children. living in lowland, foothill and mountain climatogeographical zones of the Republic of Dagestan. The selection criterion was the clinical-radiological diagnosis of CAP, using the classification of clinical forms of bronchopulmonary diseases in children.
 Results. The study revealed a rise in the incidence of respiratory organ diseases, including CAP, among children in the Republic of Dagestan (RD) over the past 5 years. Among infants under one year, the CAP rate was twice as high. The prevalence can be attributed to the climatogeographical conditions of children’s living environments. Streptococcal infection was also observed to predominate in the ethnostructure of CAP in early childhood across all climatogeographical zones. Streptococcus pneumoniae (48.1%) was more frequently isolated in all climatogeographical zones, while Staphylococcus aureus (13.3%) dominated in the mid-mountain zone. In mild pneumonia, cellular immunity components, represented by reduced CD3, CD4, CD25, CD71, react primarily. Disease exacerbation leads to depletion of CD8, CD16, CD20. Severe pneumonia triggers the involvement of humoral immunity, leading to changes in clinical blood analysis — leukocytosis and an increase in mature and immature forms of neutrophils. The levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 in blood serum increase depending on the area of inflammation and the CAP severity. In observed children with focal-draining and segmental CAP, their levels significantly increased. For empirical antibacterial therapy of CAP, recommendations include amoxicillin, protected ampicillins, third-generation cephalosporins, macrolides, and vancomycin in mono- or combination therapy.
 Conclusion. The conducted research highlights the need for managing ethnological monitoring with antibiotic sensitivity testing of infectious agents causing CAP in children.

Risk factors for severe community-acquired pneumonia in infants and preschool children

Introduction. The relevance of studying community-acquired pneumonia in children is associated with its high prevalence, despite timely prevention and effective approaches to the treatment of respiratory diseases. Factors influencing the severity of pneumonia are diverse and include comorbid pathology, early age of the child, the state of the immune system, etc.Objective. To identify and rank risk factors for severe community-acquired pneumonia in infants and preschool children.Materials and methods. This article presents the results of a retrospective analysis of 291 medical histories of children from 3 months to 7 years with community-acquired pneumonia. 83 children had severe CAP, of which 63 patients were hospitalized in the ICU.Results and discussion. The average age of a patient with community-acquired pneumonia was 33 months. Children from families with two or more children fell ill more often. On average, children were hospitalized for 4–5 days of illness. Concomitant diseases in children with CAP were quite common and often complicated the course of pneumonia. According to the results of our study, more than 70% of children were not vaccinated against pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and influenza. We established significant linear relationships between the presence of bronchial obstruction and complications of CAP such as respiratory failure and transfer to the ICU (odds ratio (OR) 7.1; Cramer coefficient 0.40; relationship 0.005). It was shown that patients who received outpatient antibiotic therapy were less likely to require transfer to the ICU.Conclusion. Risk factors for severe community-acquired pneumonia and hospitalization in the ICU were: male gender, age under 2 years, lack of vaccination against pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and influenza, combination of bronchial obstruction with CAP, presence of ENT pathology, lack of antibacterial therapy during prehospital stage, as well as the presence of a serious condition already upon admission.

Radiographic findings of adenoviral pneumonia in children

ObjectiveAdenovirus pneumonia is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children and can mimic bacterial pneumonia, but there are few publications on its radiographic features. This study has evaluated the chest radiography findings of community-acquired adenovirus pneumonia in children. The frequency of radiological findings mimicking bacterial pneumonia was investigated. The clinical features of patients with adenovirus pneumonia possessing radiological findings mimicking bacterial pneumonia were also evaluated. Materials and methodsThe chest radiographs of patients diagnosed with adenovirus pneumonia were retrospectively reviewed. The chest radiographs were interpreted independently by a pediatric infectious disease specialist and a pediatric radiologist. Chest radiography findings mimicking bacterial pneumonia (bacterial-like) were specified as consolidation +/− pleural effusion. Other findings on chest radiography or a completely normal chest X-ray were specified as findings that were compatible with “typical viral pneumonia”. ResultsA total of 1407 patients were positive for adenovirus with respiratory multiplex PCR. The 219 patients who met the study criteria were included in the study. Chest radiographs were normal in 58 (26.5 %) patients. The chest radiograph findings mimicked bacterial pneumonia in 41 (18.7 %) patients. ConclusionAdenovirus pneumonia occurs predominantly in children aged five years and younger, as with other viral pneumonias. The radiographic findings in adenovirus pneumonia are predominantly those seen in viral pneumonia. Increasing age and positivity for only adenovirus without other viruses on respiratory multiplex PCR were associated with the chest radiograph being more likely to be “bacterial-like”. Adenovirus may lead to lobar/segmental consolidation at a rate that is not very rare.

Актуальные вопросы диагностики и выбора эффективной антибактериальной терапии острого бронхита и внебольничной пневмонии у детей

Введение. Наиболее частыми формами инфекций нижних дыхательных путей в практике врача являются острый бронхит и внебольничная пневмония. Врачу приходится принимать решение о тактике ведения таких пациентов с учетом клинической картины и результатов обследования. Внебольничная пневмония является распространенным и потенциально угрожающим жизни заболеванием органов дыхания. Острота проблемы состоит в том, что в периоды эпидемий гриппа или других респираторных вирусных инфекций активируется и Streptococcus рneumoniae, что приводит к росту заболеваемости внебольничной пневмонией. В последние годы этиология пневмонии значительно расширилась, и среди ее причин важное место, помимо бактерий, стали занимать пневмотропные вирусы (новый коронавирус SARS-CoV-2, MERS, вирусы гриппа А, в т. ч. пандемический H1N1, птичьего гриппа, бокавирусы, метапневмовирусы и др.). Ассоциация вирусов и бактерий утяжеляет течение болезни. Рассмотрены подходы к диагностике и терапии бронхита и внебольничной пневмонии. Лечебные мероприятия больным с острым бронхитом включают раннее начало терапии. Антибактериальная терапия острого бронхита назначается при доказанном бактериальном генезе заболевания, гипертермии более 3 дней, выраженных симптомах интоксикации и др. Общепринятым методом этиологической расшифровки пневмонии является микробиологическое исследование мокроты, а также исследование крови на предмет бактериемии. Промежуточное место занимает метод бактериоскопии; окраска мокроты по Граму позволяет врачу ориентироваться в выборе эмпирической антибактериальной терапии. В последние годы используются метод полимеразной цепной реакции и исследование пневмококкового антигена в моче; иммунохроматографически определяется полисахарид С пневмококка. Критерием качества оказания помощи пациентам с пневмонией является начало стартовой терапии антибактериальными препаратами. Результаты. В статье оценена клиническая эффективность лечения, включающего прием амоксициллина, результаты позволяют рекомендовать амоксициллин к использованию в амбулаторной практике. Background. The most common forms of lower respiratory tract infections in a doctor's practice are acute bronchitis and community-acquired pneumonia. The doctor has to decide on the management tactics of such patients, taking into account the clinical picture and examination results. Community-acquired pneumonia is a common and potentially life-threatening respiratory disease. The severity of the problem is that during periods of influenza epidemics or other respiratory viral infections Streptococcus pneumoniae is also activated, which leads to an increase in the incidence of community-acquired pneumonia. In recent years, the etiology of pneumonia has expanded significantly, and among the causes of community-acquired pneumonia, in addition to bacteria, pneumotropic viruses (new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, MERS, influenza A viruses, including pandemic H1N1, avian influenza, bocaviruses) began to occupy an important place, metapneumoviruses, etc.). The association of viruses and bacteria aggravates the course of the disease. Approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of bronchitis and community-acquired pneumonia are considered. Therapeutic measures for patients with acute bronchitis include early initiation of therapy. Antibacterial therapy for acute bronchitis is prescribed for proven bacterial origin of the disease, hyperthermia for more than 3 days, severe symptoms of intoxication, etc. The generally accepted method of etiological deciphering of pneumonia is a microbiological examination of sputum, as well as a blood test for bacteremia. The bacterioscopy method occupies an intermediate place; Gram staining of sputum allows the doctor to guide the choice of empirical antibacterial therapy. In recent years, the polymerase chain reaction method and the study of pneumococcal antigen in urine have been used; Polysaccharide C of pneumococcus is determined immunochromatographically. The criterion for the quality of care for patients with pneumonia is the initiation of initial therapy with antibacterial drugs. Results. The article evaluates the clinical effectiveness of treatment including amoxicillin was assessed; the results allow us to recommend amoxicillin for use in outpatient practice.

The Diagnostic Association of Radiological and Clinicopathological Parameters in Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Globally, pneumonia is one of the significant causes of death in children under the age of five years. Assessment of disease severity is essential for clinical decision-making. Clinicians in resource-limited settings use the WHO Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMNCI) guidelines to diagnose and treat pneumonia. Chest X-rays and blood biomarkers are frequently performed in children presenting with pneumonia, but their role in clinical decision-making is limited. Objective To evaluate the association of chest X-ray results, clinical parameters, and blood inflammatory biomarkers with the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children to decide which tests are helpful in accurately classifying the severity of pneumonia. Methods This cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted at the Combined Military Hospital, Lahore, among 421 children aged two months to five years who were admitted with complaints of cough and difficulty breathing and were COVID-19 negative. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire, including demographic information and clinical categorization of pneumonia severity using WHO criteria, SpO2 levels, chest X-rays, complete blood count (CBC), and C-reactive protein (CRP)levels obtained within 24 hours of admission. Statistical evaluation of 323 children was done using SPSS version 26, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were applied to determine statistical significance. p-Value <0.05 was considered significant. Results The median age of the study population was eight months (IQR: 3-20 months); 113 (33.1%) were girlsand 127 (37.2%) were underweight children. Eighteen (5.3%) patients had no pneumonia, 245 (71.8%) patients had non-severe pneumonia, and 78 (22.9%) patients had severe pneumonia. The clinical features of severe pneumonia were more common in children with radiologic findings of alveolarCAPthan non-alveolar CAP (36.2% and 20%, respectively, p: 0.05). A higher percentage of patients with alveolar CAP had CRP >6 mg/dL than non-alveolar CAP (69.9% and 35%, respectively, p < 0.001). Patients with undernutrition (WAZ <-2 SD), hypoxemia (SpO2<95%), and having CRP >6 mg/dL were associated with clinical features of severe pneumonia (46.1% vs. 33.8%, 100% vs 47.3%, and 67.9% vs 48.5%, respectively, p < 0.05). A significantly greater frequency of a bilateral multifocal distribution (p = 0.020), and the involvement of the right paracardiac region (p = 0.043) and the left lower lobe (p = 0.007) in those with severe pneumonia was observed. Conclusion Clinical diagnosis of pneumonia, along with the assessment of risk factors, including undernutrition and hypoxemia, should be adequate to diagnose pneumonia in children. Chest X-rays and CRP levels can be helpful in hospitalized children for whom physicians have difficulty deciding about antibiotic prescriptions, but their role in routinely classifying the severity of pneumonia in children is limited.

Adenovirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae co-infection as a risk factor for severe community-acquired pneumonia in children.

To investigate the pathogenic characteristics and risk factors of pediatric severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of hospitalized children with severe CAP from April 2014 to June 2019 in China. Data of age, sex and pathogenic results were collected: bacterial and fungal cultures, respiratory viruses from sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), serum Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-IgM and Chlamydia Pneumoniae-IgM, and BALF or blood (1-3)-β-D-glucan/galactomannan test. A total of 679 children with severe CAP were included in the analysis. The number of cases infected with MP was higher in males than in females. There were significant differences between the ≤1-year and >1-year groups in terms of pathogen. The top three bacteria cultured were Haemophilus influenzae (57/679, 8.4%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (50/679, 7.4%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25/679, 3.7%). The top three viruses detected were adenovirus (AdV, 124/679, 18.3%), respiratory syncytial virus (24/679, 3.5%), and parainfluenza virus (21/679, 3.1%). AdV and MP were the leading pathogens, detected in 18.3% and 32.6% cases, respectively. MP infection increased the risk of AdV infection (OR 3.77, p < 0.0001). MP infection was a risk factor for severe AdV-infected pneumonia, while sex, age, bacteria, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, fungal, and AdV infections were risk factors for severe MP-infected pneumonia. AdV and MP were dominant pathogens in children with severe CAP. AdV and MP infection predisposed each other to develop severe illness. AdV-MP co-infection may lead to severe pneumonia.

Molecular epidemiology of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children, Wuhan, 2020–2022

BackgroundMycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is an important pathogen of community-acquired pneumonia in children. The factors contributing to the severity of illness caused by M. pneumoniae infection are still under investigation. We aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of common M. pneumoniae detection methods, as well as to analyze the clinical manifestations, genotypes, macrolide resistance, respiratory microenvironment, and their relationship with the severity of illness in children with M. pneumoniae pneumonia in Wuhan.ResultsAmong 1,259 clinical samples, 461 samples were positive for M. pneumoniae via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Furthermore, we found that while serological testing is not highly sensitive in detecting M. pneumoniae infection, but it may serve as an indicator for predicting severe cases. We successfully identified the adhesin P1 (P1) genotypes of 127 samples based on metagenomic and Sanger sequencing, with P1-type 1 (113/127, 88.98%) being the dominant genotype. No significant difference in pathogenicity was observed among different genotypes. The macrolide resistance rate of M. pneumoniae isolates was 96% (48/50) and all mutations were A2063G in domain V of 23S rRNA gene. There was no significant difference between the upper respiratory microbiome of patients with mild and severe symptoms.ConclusionsDuring the period of this study, the main circulating M. pneumoniae was P1-type 1, with a resistance rate of 96%. Key findings include the efficacy of qPCR in detecting M. pneumoniae, the potential of IgM titers exceeding 1:160 as indicators for illness severity, and the lack of a direct correlation between disease severity and genotypic characteristics or respiratory microenvironment. This study is the first to characterize the epidemic and genomic features of M. pneumoniae in Wuhan after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, which provides a scientific data basis for monitoring and infection prevention and control of M. pneumoniae in the post-pandemic era.

Clinical features of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children without fever

BackgroundMycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia in children. Most children have fever. In 2021, we found that the proportion of children without fever increased. The aim of this study is to summarize the differences in the clinical characteristics of children with MP pneumonia who are febrile or not, and to raise awareness of children who are not febrile.MethodDemographic information of the children was collected on admission. Clinical manifestations during the course of the disease and the first laboratory, imaging, and pulmonary function tests before discharge were recorded and compared.ResultsFrom August to December, a total of 542 people were included in the study. We found that older children were more likely to have fever. Inflammatory indicators including procalcitonin (P = 0.030), C-reaction protein (P < 0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.001), ferritin (P = 0.040) and the rate of atelectasis (P = 0.049) of febrile children were higher in febrile children. However, the elevated lactate dehydrogenase and pulmonary function impairment (P all > 0.05), especially the small airway function impairment, are no lower in afebrile children than in febrile children.ConclusionThe fever rate is lower in younger children, but wheezing is more common. In afebrile children, the impairment of organ and lung function was no less than in febrile children. Therefore, attention should also be paid to children who are not febrile.

Evaluation of relation between vitamin D serum level and community acquired pneumonia in children between 1 to 60 months

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization and death in children under five, particularly in developing countries. Low UV B exposure during winter can decrease serum vitamin D levels, which is a defense factor against microbial agents. This study aims to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and community-acquired pneumonia in children at Motahari Hospital in Urmia, despite the limited number of studies in this field. The findings could help improve the management of pneumonia in children. Methods: In the present study, 45 children admitted to Motahhari Hospital in Urmia with a diagnosis of pneumonia and 45 children without respiratory symptoms referred to health centers have been performed as evidence. Results: The mean of vitamin D in the case group was 31.28 ± 24.28 and less than the control group (34.43 ± 25.65), but no statistically significant difference was observed. Vitamin D deficiency is common in both groups. Community-based interventions for vitamin D deficiency appear necessary. Conclusion: Various studies have shown several effects of vitamin D on health. The results of this study showed that vitamin D deficiency is common in both groups under study and of course in the case group this deficiency is more than it is recommended to take preventive interventions.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common cause of childhood mortality globally. In the United States, CAP is a leading cause of pediatric hospitalization and antibiotic use and is associated with substantial morbidity. There has been a dramatic shift in microbiological etiologies for CAP in children over time as pneumococcal pneumonia has become less common and viral etiologies have become predominant. There is no commonly agreed on approach to the diagnosis of CAP in children. When indicated, antimicrobial treatment should consist of narrow-spectrum antibiotics. In this article, we will describe the current understanding of the microbiological etiologies, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, risk factors, treatment, and future directions in the diagnosis and management of pediatric CAP.

Etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in children and adults based on 2015–2022 bacteriological and molecular genetic studies

The data on etiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remain contradictory, which is often assessed only according to bacteriological studies coming to a conclusion about the low frequency of major main pathogenStreptococcus pneumoniaеisolation. At the same time, there are very few observations of parallel examination of patients with CAP simultaneously by bacteriological and molecular genetic methods. There are no observations on the etiology of CAP in the long-term dynamics. The aim of the work is to analyze the etiology of CAP in children and adults based on 2015–2022 bacteriological and molecular genetic studies. The etiology of pneumonia was assessed using the data on posterior pharyngeal wall washes from 418 children and 483 adults hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of CAP at two large Perm medical organizations in 2015–2022. The samples were examined by the bacteriological method and polymerase chain reaction using commercial test systems with the amplifier “CFX96” (Bio-Rad, USA). The results showed thatS. pneumoniaе, despite implementing decreed vaccinations against pneumococcal infection, it remains the leading causative agent of CAP in both children and adults. The 2015–2022 frequency of pneumococcal discharge according to bacteriological studies was 9.7 per 100 examined, according to molecular genetic studies — 48.5 per 100 examined among children and adults in the study area. According to 2021–2022 vs 2015–2017 bacteriological studies, the frequency ofStaphylococcus aureusexcretion among children increased significantly, andS. pneumoniaеincreased among adults. According to the results of molecular genetic studies among children and adults, no significant changes in the etiology of CAP were found. In 2021–2022, SARS-CoV-2-positive vs SARS-CoV-2-negative patients with CAP infected had higher rate of isolatedS. aureus,KlebsiellapneumoniaеandHemophilus influenzae, i.e., those pathogens whose number increased in the long-term follow-up observations.

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of community-acquired pneumonia in children: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline adapted for the use in Egypt using ‘Adapted ADAPTE’

BackgroundWe recently adapted a guideline for Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in children to the Egyptian health system. Adaptation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to the local healthcare context is a valid alternative to de novo development that can upgrade their application without enforcing a major burden on resources. The objective of this manuscript is to elucidate diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CAP as well as methods used for the adaptation process to produce the 1st National Guideline for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in children in Egypt using Adapted ADAPTE method. The full process was described extensively with all three phases of set up, adaptation, and finalization. An adaptation group and an external review including clinical content experts and methodologists conducted the process.ResultsThe authors adapted 10 principal categories of recommendations from three source Clinical Practice Guidelines. Recommendations incorporate; common clinical manifestations, indications for hospitalization and intensive care unit admission, indications for laboratory investigations and radiology in diagnosis, choice of empiric antibiotic therapy in the outpatient and hospitalized children with non-complicated CAP and the duration of therapy, the role of influenza antiviral therapy, follow-up anticipated response to therapy, management of non-responding pneumonia, criteria of safe discharge, and prevention of CAP. Many tools were gathered and established to improve implement ability containing two clinical algorithms for management of non-complicated CAP and for non-responding pneumonia in children, pathway for assessment of severity of CAP in primary care facilities, medication tables, simplified Arabic patient information, PowerPoint slide presentation lecture for management of CAP, and online resources.ConclusionThe final clinical guideline supports pediatricians and related healthcare workers with evidence-based applicable guidance for managing community-acquired pneumonia in Egypt. This work demonstrated the efficiency of Adapted ADAPTE and highlighted the importance of a cooperative clinical and methodological professional group for adaptation of national guidelines.

Epidemiological and Genetic Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia after the Outbreak of COVID-19

Abstract Objective Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) accounts for a major part of community-acquired pneumonia in children, and we performed this study to investigate the epidemiological and genetic characteristics of MPP after the outbreak of COVID-19. Methods A total of 15,538 throat swab samples were collected from inpatients with respiratory tract infections from January 2021 to December 2021. All specimens were detected by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The P1 gene of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in positive samples was amplified and sequenced. Results From January 2021 to December 2021, a total of 15,538 children with acute respiratory tract infection were tested by real-time RT-PCR in our study, including 9,056 boys and 6,482 girls. Overall, 469 (3.0%, 469/15,538) tested positive for MP, with 266 (2.9%, 266/9,056) males and 203 (3.1%, 203/6,482) females (p = 0.48). The positive rates of MP infection in &lt; 1 year old, 1 to 3 years old, 3 to 5 years old, 5 to 7 years old, and &gt;7 years old groups were 1.31% (85/6,474), 1.87% (64/3,423), 3.65% (95/2,601), 8.02% (127/1,583), and 6.72% (98/1,458), respectively. The homology analysis of the P1 gene of 24 MP positive samples showed that the nucleotide sequence consistency was up to 91.2 to 99.3%. Conclusion After the outbreak of COVID-19, positive detection rate was the highest from 5 to 7 years old among children with MPP, and the genotype of MP in Hangzhou, China area was focused on P1 subtype, type I.

The Role of Mannose-Binding Lectin and Inflammatory Markers in Establishing the Course and Prognosis of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most significant childhood diseases worldwide and a leading infectious cause of death in children. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the inflammatory markers-C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT)-and the polymorphic glycoprotein mannose-binding lectin (MBL), deficiency of which is associated with severe infections, in the determination of the optimal type and timing of therapeutic intervention for CAP in childhood. Retrospective evaluation was conducted on a cohort of 204 children aged 4 months-17 years hospitalized with CAP. Their levels of CRP, PCT, and MBL were assessed for their association with a variety of outcomes, including the incidence of local and systemic complications, admission to the ICU, duration of antibiotic treatment and hospital stay, and death. CRP and PCT proved to be better predictors of complications of CAP than MBL. The area under the curve (AUC) value was highest for PCT as a predictor of systemic complications (AUC = 0.931, 95%CI 0.895-0.967), while CRP (AUC = 0.674, 95%CI 0.586-0.761) performed best as a predictor of local complications (AUC = 0.674, 95%CI 0.586-0.761). Regarding admission to the ICU, CRP was the weakest predictor (AUC = 0.741), while PCT performed the best (AUC = 0.833), followed by MBL (AUC = 0.797). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the optimal threshold generated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, rendering sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 87% for PCT in assessing the risk of systemic complications, compared to sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 90% for CRP. MBL showed relatively high sensitivity (96%) but low specificity (25%) for predicting the need for ICU admission. Early measurement of CRP, PCT, and MBL provides clinicians with important information regarding the course and prognosis of children diagnosed with CAP, thus ensuring prompt, optimal therapeutic management.