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Background: We aimed to evaluate the effects of public health measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic on respiratory viruses., Methods: The study was conducted between February 1, 2021 and December 1, 2022. Patients aged 1 month to 18 years hospitalized for infectious diseases were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory viruses by multiplex PCR., Results: Of the total 1173 patients, 56.2% were male and 43.8% were female, and 47.5% of the patients were under 24 months of age. The viruses detected were SARS-CoV-2 31.9%, human rhinovirus/enterovirus 19.4%, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) 9.3%, parainfluenza virus 7%, adenovirus 6%, seasonal coronavirus 5.2%, bocavirus 3.8%, influenza 3.1%, and metapneumovirus 2.8%. Among the patients, 386 were hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections, 238 with upper respiratory tract infections, 202 to evaluate fever etiology, 111 with acute gastroenteritis and 236 with other diagnoses. Of these patients, 113 were admitted to the intensive care unit. Intensive care unit admission rates were statistically significantly higher for bocavirus and RSV, in those hospitalized between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022 (first period when schools were held full-time face-toface at all grades) and in children aged 1-24 months., Conclusions: Public health measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the seasonal distribution of respiratory viruses and the severity of illness in children.

Nondiphtherial Corynebacterium species isolated from clinical specimens are usually considered as contaminants by many clinicians when reported by microbiologists. However, an increasing number of studies have confirmed the importance of Corynebacterium spp. in the etiology of a variety of infectious processes. In this report, we present a case of bronchopneumonia caused by Corynebacterium propinquum. The infection occurred in a seven-year-old child who had a history of immunosuppression due to ataxia telangiectasia. The purulent sputum of the patient yielded a large number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes with abundant gram-positive coryneform bacilli in gram staining and pure growth of coryneform bacteria in culture. Definitive identification as C. propinquum was made by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. C. propinquum should be recognized as a potential pathogen and included in the etiologic diagnostic algorithm, particularly in patients with immunosuppressive conditions.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an important nosocomial pathogen in hospitalized patients, particularly those with prior broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy. The microorganism mainly infects severely ill, debilitated patients and is most frequent in immunocompromised hosts. A prominent feature of this organism is its resistance to multiple antibiotics including beta-lactam agents, carbapenems and aminoglycosides. Community-acquired infection with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is reported rarely. This is the first report of a child patient diagnosed with septic arthritis due to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Two cases of collodion babies with hypernatremia are presented, and the importance of this electrolyte abnormality in skin disorders is also stressed.