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In the era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, countries worldwide have implemented several nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to contain its spread before vaccines and treatments were developed. NPIs included social distancing, mask wearing, intensive contact tracing and isolation, and sanitization. In addition to their effectiveness at preventing the rapid spread of COVID-19, NPIs have caused secondary changes in the epidemiology of other infectious diseases. In Korea, various NPI stages have been implemented since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on January 20, 2020. This review, based on a PubMed database search, shows the impact of NPIs on several infectious diseases other than severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the COVID-19 pandemic era in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Delta neutrophil index (DNI) has been reported to be useful in assessing the prognosis of suspected bacteraemia in adults. However, data in children are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the DNI and bacteraemia in children and to compare DNI values between immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. Methods We retrospectively collected data on 8593 children who underwent simultaneous blood culture and DNI testing. DNI was determined with a blood cell analyser (ADVIA 120, Siemens, Inc.). The children were divided into immunocompromised (n = 664) and immunocompetent groups (n = 7929). Results DNI was higher in the bacteraemia group than in the non-bacteraemia group (P < 0.001). According to the group, DNI was higher in immunocompromised than immunocompetent patients (P < 0.001). Within the immunocompromised group, there was no significant difference between the bacteraemia and non-bacteraemia subgroups due to a higher DNI as compared to the immunocompetent group. Conclusions DNI could be an additional method for the early diagnosis of bacteraemia in children. However, the use of DNI for the prediction of bacteraemia in immunocompromised cases has limitations. Further studies on the usefulness of DNI according to specific diseases are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines the use of corticosteroids in treating Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in an infant with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The effectiveness of corticosteroids in preventing immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in non-HIV patients with PCP is a topic of debate. However, in this particular case, the infant experienced a paradoxical reaction during PCP treatment, which improved with the addition of corticosteroids. The study emphasizes the need for further research on the use of corticosteroids in individuals with compromised immune systems. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a study conducted in Korea that examined the incidence of dental discoloration in children who were prescribed tetracyclines. The study found that the occurrence of dental discoloration was relatively low and that tetracycline exposure did not increase the risk of dental discoloration compared to the general population. The authors suggest that the age restriction for prescribing tetracyclines may need to be reevaluated. The study also identified certain risk factors for dental discoloration, such as being female and having respiratory and metabolic comorbidities. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) after hematopoietic stem transplantation (HCT) or solid organ transplantation (SOT) result in poorer outcomes, including death. There are limited large cohort data on the incidence and natural course of PTLD in Asians. Materials and Methods We investigated PTLD using Korean national health insurance claims data of 47,518 patients who underwent HCT or SOT in 2008-2020. Patient demographics, time and type of PTLD diagnosis, type of PTLD treatment, and death data were collected. We used Fine and Gray subdistribution hazard models to calculate the cumulative incidence and risk factors for PTLD. Results During median follow-up of 5.32 years, PTLD occurred in 294 of 36,945 SOT patients (0.79%) and 235 of 10,573 HCT patients (2.22%). Cumulative incidence of PTLD were 0.49% at 1 year, 1.02% at 5 years, and 1.50% at 10 years post-transplantation. Age < 20 years (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] of 1.67 in age 10-19, SHR 1.51 in age 0-9), HCT (SHR 3.02), heart transplantation (SHR 2.27), and liver transplantation (SHR 1.47) were significant risk factors for PTLD. The presence of PTLD was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio of 2.84). Overall, 5-year survival of PTLD patients was 68.9% (95% confidence interval, 64.9 to 73.2). Conclusion We observed a steady increase in PTLD over 10 years after HCT or SOT in this large cohort study. Pediatric age group, HCT, liver transplantation, and heart transplantation were suggested to be risk factors for PTLD, and PTLD was associated with a higher risk of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2020, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety licensed a hexavalent combined diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP), inactivated poliovirus (IPV), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugated to tetanus protein, and hepatitis B (HepB) (recombinant DNA) vaccine, DTaPIPVHibHepB (Hexaxim, Sanofi Pasteur), for use as a 3dose primary series in infants aged 2, 4, and 6 months. The DTaPIPVHibHepB vaccine is highly immunogenic and safe and provides a longterm immune response based on studies performed in a variety of settings in many countries, including Korea. This report summarizes the Committee on Infectious Diseases of the Korean Pediatric Society guidelines for the use of this newly introduced hexavalent combination vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims We investigated the incidence and characteristics of cholangitis after Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) in patients with biliary atresia. We also examined the distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the causative pathogens, which were isolated in a blood culture. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed in patients with biliary atresia who underwent KPE at Severance Children's Hospital in Korea from 2006 to 2015. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the cumulative incidence of cholangitis. Results Among the 160 included patients, there were 494 episodes of cholangitis in 126 patients (78.8%) during the study period. The cumulative incidence of cholangitis at 1 year and 5 years after KPE was 75.5% and 84.2%, respectively, and cholangitis recurred in most cases (76.2%). The cumulative incidence of blood-culture-proven cholangitis at 1 year and 5 years after KPE was 22.1% and 23.9%, respectively. Enterococcus faecium (27.7%) was the most prevalent pathogen, followed by Escherichia coli (14.9%), Enterobacter cloacae (10.6%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (8.5%). Gram-positive isolates (n=19) showed low susceptibility to ampicillin (42.1%) and gentamycin (66.7%), and only 38.1% of gram-negative isolates (n=21) were susceptible to cefotaxime. Conclusions The present study is the largest to show the high incidence and characteristics of cholangitis after KPE in patients with biliary atresia. Enterococcus is a common pathogen of cholangitis after KPE and should be considered when choosing empiric antimicrobial therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]