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In order to improve knowledge on Escherichia coli bacteraemia during pregnancy, we studied clinical data and performed molecular characterization of strains for 29 E. coli bacteraemia occurring in pregnant women. Bacteraemia mostly occurred in the third trimester of pregnancy (45%) and was community-acquired (79%). Portals of entry were urinary (55%) and genital (45%). E. coli strains belonged mainly to phylogroups B2 (72%) and D (17%). Four clonal lineages (i.e. sequence type complex (STc) 73, STc95, STc12 and STc69) represented 65% of the strains. The strains exhibited a high number of virulence factor coding genes (10 (3-16)). Six foetuses died (27%), five of them due to bacteraemia of genital origin (83%). Foetal deaths occurred despite adequate antibiotic regimens. Strains associated with foetal mortality had fewer virulence factors (8 (6-10)) than strains involved in no foetal mortality (11 (4-12)) (p 0.02). When comparing E. coli strains involved in bacteraemia with a urinary portal of entry in non-immunocompromised pregnant vs. non-immunocompromised non-pregnant women from the COLIBAFI study, there was no significant difference of phylogroups and virulence factor coding genes. These results show that E. coli bacteraemia in pregnant women involve few highly virulent clones but that severity, represented by foetal death, is mainly related to bacteraemia of genital origin., (© 2014 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.)

Sorbitol-fermenting Escherichia coli O157:[H7] is a particularly virulent clone of E. coli O157:H7 associated with a higher incidence of haemolytic uraemic syndrome and a higher case fatality rate. Many fundamental aspects of its epidemiology remain to be elucidated, including its reservoir and transmission routes and vehicles. We describe an outbreak of sorbitol-fermenting E. coli O157:[H7] that occurred in France in 2011. Eighteen cases of paediatric haemolytic uraemic syndrome with symptom onset between 6 June and 15 July 2011 were identified among children aged 6 months to 10 years residing in northern France. A strain of sorbitol-fermenting E. coli O157:[H7] stx2a eae was isolated from ten cases. Epidemiological, microbiological and trace-back investigations identified multiply-contaminated frozen ground beef products bought in a supermarket chain as the outbreak vehicle. Strains with three distinct pulsotypes that were isolated from patients, ground beef preparations recovered from patients' freezers and from stored production samples taken at the production plant were indistinguishable upon molecular comparison. This investigation documents microbiologically confirmed foodborne transmission of sorbitol-fermenting of E. coli O157 via beef and could additionally provide evidence of a reservoir in cattle for this pathogen., (© 2014 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.)

In industrialized countries, group A streptococcal infections were a source of concern, mainly due to the occurrence of rheumatic fever and its cardiac complications. At present, the incidence of rheumatic fever is decreasing in these countries, giving way to an increasing occurrence of invasive streptococcal group A infections with high level of morbidity and mortality. Streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis, a specific entity, emerged these last decades, often in association with chickenpox. The introduction of the varicella vaccine in the province of Quebec routine immunization program, was followed by a significant decrease in the number of necrotizing fasciitis or other skin and soft-tissues infections in our pediatric population. However, in our experience at the CHU Sainte-Justine, this immunization program has not been helpful to reduce the overall incidence of invasive group A streptococcal infections. Conversely, an increase in the number of pleuro-pulmonary and osteo-articular infections was observed., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a human pathogen responsible for a wide range of clinical manifestations. An increase of GAS invasive infections has been described since the mid 1980s. To study the French epidemiology of invasive infections (i) we characterized all GAS invasive strains received at the French National Reference Center for streptococci (CNR-Strep) between 2007 and 2011; (ii) we analyzed the epidemiological data on the corresponding strains. For each strain, emm genotype, superantigen genes and antibiotics susceptibility were determined. Among the 2 603 non redundant invasive GAS strains, 65.1 % (n=1 695) were isolated from blood culture. A streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) was described in 16.4 % (n=428) of cases, mostly associated with necrotizing fasciitis (NF), pleuropulmonary or osteoarticular infections (p ≤0.001). The case fatality rate was 10.6 %. A total of 102 different emm genotypes were identified. Three emm genotypes predominated, reaching nearly 60 % of the strains: emm 1 (26.7 %), emm 28 (16.4 %), and emm 89 (12.8 %). The proportion of each emm genotype varied according to the year and the age of patients. Among those < 15 years old, the three main genotypes were emm 1 (36.8 %), emm 12 (12.9 %) and emm 4 (9.5 %). The distribution of superantigen genes (SpeA, SpeC and Ssa) was restricted to several emm genotypes. Between 2007 and 2011, the rate of macrolides resistant GAS strains decreased from 7.8 to 5.5 %. emm 1 strains are still the most common especially in most severe clinical manifestations including STSS and NF., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: For the past 20 years, three vaccines against the three main bacterial species implicated in meningitis in children have been included in the French vaccine calendar: Haemophilus influenzae b in 1993, 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in 2003 (replaced by 13-valent in 2010) and Neisseria meningitidis C in 2009. The French active surveillance network from the GPIP/ACTIV monitors the change in the epidemiological, clinical, and biological features of bacterial meningitis due to vaccine use., Methods: Over a 12-year period, 233 pediatric wards working with 168 microbiology departments throughout France were asked to report all cases of bacterial meningitis., Results: From January 2001 to December 2012, 4808 bacterial meningitis cases were reported. Between 2001 and 2012, the number of pneumococcal meningitis (PM) cases decreased by 23.4%, and by 32.2% for children less than 2 years old. During this period, the proportion of cases attributable to PCV7 and six additional PCV13 types decreased from 63.3% to 8.1% and 83.7% to 32.4%, respectively. In 2012, the main vaccine types (accounting for 25.8% of cases) were 7F (12.2%), 19A (6.8%), and 19F (6.8%), and the most frequent non-vaccine types were 12F (14.9%), 24F (14.9%), 15B/C (6.8%), 22F (6.8%), and 10A (5.4%). In 2012, the rate of strains with decreased susceptibility to cefotaxime/ceftriaxone (MIC>0.5 μg/mL) represented less than 3% of cases, with no identified resistant strain since 2010 (MIC>2 μg/mL). Between 2001 (n=67) and 2012 (n=9), the number of NmC meningitis cases decreased by 87%., Conclusion: With more than 4800 bacterial meningitis cases reported in 12 years, this nationwide survey provides essential information on the microbiological and clinical characteristics of bacterial meningitis (epidemiology or resistance data). These results could lead to changing antibiotic treatment of pneumococcal meningitis before the results of antibiotic susceptibility tests., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs) are defined as ß-lactamase able to hydrolyze all penicillins and cephalosporins with the exception of cephamycins (cefotixin, cefotetan), moxalactam and carbapenems and are encoded by mobile genes. The most frequently encountered ESBLs belong to the CTX-M, SHV, and TEM families. ESBLs were found first in Klebsiella pneumonia and then predominantly in E. coli. The incidence of patients with ESBLs E. coli increase since 2000 in Robert Debré Hospital in Paris. They were mainly implicated in urinary tract infections and less frequently in other infections such as materno-foetal infections or neonatal meningitis. An increase of consumption of carbapenems may lead to spread of carbapenem resistant organisms. Thus alternative to carbapenems for treatment of ESBL producers are needed., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) causing urinary tract infections, bacteraemia or meningitis are characterized by a particular genetic background (phylogenetic group B2 and D) and the presence, within genetic pathogenicity islands (PAI) or plasmids, of genes encoding virulence factors involved in adhesion to epithelia, crossing of the body barriers (digestive, kidney, bloodbrain), iron uptake and resistance to the immune system. Among the many virulence factors described, two are particularly linked with a pathophysiological process: type P pili PapGII adhesin is linked with acute pyelonephritis, in the absence of abnormal flow of urine, and the K1 capsule is linked with neonatal meningitis. However, if the adhesin PapGII appears as the key factor of pyelonephritis, such that its absence in strain causing the infection is predictive of malformation or a vesico-ureteral reflux, the meningeal virulence of E. coli can not be reduced to a single virulence factor, but results from a combination of factors unique to each clone, and an imbalance between the immune defenses of the host and bacterial virulence., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Outcome of early and late onset E. coli neonatal meningitis is poor with 12% (term infant) to 18% (premature infant) mortality rates. Early complications are cerebral abscesses, ventriculitis and ischemo-haemorragic cerebral lesions. Long term sequelae, particularly neurosensorial [14-17%] and neurodevelopmental [10-17%] are frequent. Delayed or unadapted antibiotic treatment is associated with an excess of complications. Main risk factors are hemodynamic failure, apnea, seizures, hypoglycorachia and abnormal EEG. Antibiotics must be started as soon as possible with a third generation cephalosporin (3GC). Cefotaxime is the most largely 3GC used with good tolerance and the most appropriate Pk/PD parameters, frequently in association with ciprofloxacin. Experimentally, neuroprotective drugs were recently proposed to improve prognosis such as inflammatory inhibitors, leakage bacterial components inhibitors, PMN penetration inhibitors in CSF, apoptosis regulators. Clinically protective effect of corticosteroids is discussed. Ciprofloxacin has an intrinsic anti-inflammatory activity and seems interesting to use in addition to conventional antibiotherapy during the first days of treatment. Prevalence of 3GC-resistant E. coli is 5% in the vaginal flora of pregnant women in some hospitals in France; this rate leads to reconsider first line antibiotic treatment and to switch cephalosporin with meropenem in neonates with confirmed gram negative bacilli or 3GC-resistant E. coli meningitis., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Urinary tract infections is one of the most common bacterial infections in pediatrics The increasing involvement of multiresistant bacteria including E. coli producing extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) makes its management difficult. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the state of the art and to propose ways of thinking about the management of E. coli urinary tract infection in children. The current percentage (less than 10%) of E. coli strains resistant to third generation cephalosporins and the relative efficiency of the latter, should not led to an immediate change of our protocols. Nevertheless, we should verify as soon as possible susceptibility of E. coli responsible for urinary tract infections and consider other therapeutic options for initial therapy and adaptation after obtaining antibiogram. The use of an aminoglycosid as initial treatment seems very interesting. Aminoglycosides have a very good distribution in the renal parenchyma and are still working on the majority of ESBL-producing bacteria. A rapid oral relay after 48 to 72 hours may be proposed according to the results of the susceptibility with either cotrimoxazole, cefixime, ciprofloxacin or an association cefixime-amoxicilline/clavulanate. The treatment of cystitis due to ESBL E. coli is much less problematic given the good urinary beta-lactam antibiotics diffusion. If clinical improvement occurs, even if antibiogram shows that the strain is resistant to the antibiotic prescribed, it is usually unnecessary to change treatment., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

In 2011, an outbreak linked to a entero-haemorrhagic Escherichia coli strain, affecting adults more frequently, occurred in Germany, with 4320 bloody diarrhea cases, 850 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and 82 deaths. Meanwhile, an epidemic affecting 24 patients took place in Bègle with similar epidemiological characteristics. These two strains were associated with consumption of contaminated seeds fenugreck by a particularly virulent strain belonging to a rare serotype, E. coli serotype O104:H4. This strain is a triple hybrid : it produces a shigatoxin, the adhesion at the gastrointestinal mucosa is related to the presence of fimbriae as enteroaggregants E. coli (ECAA), and has virulence factors of E. coli outer intestinal (EXPEC). In addition, it produced a ß-lactamasetype extended-spectrum CTXM15., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neonatal bacterial meningitis has a mortality rate over 10 % and induces neurological sequellae in 20 to 50 % of cases. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the second cause behind Group B streptococcus (GBS). The clinical and epidemiological features of neonatal meningitis due to E. coli between 2001 and 2010 with the data from the National Observatory are presented here., Methods: Cases of child meningitis were prospectively collected since 2001 by a network of 252 pediatric wards associated with 166 microbiology laboratories. Risk factors, clinical signs, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, treatment and mortality were collected., Results: 638 cases of neonatal bacterial meningitis were reported by 114 pediatric wards, among which 28 % (n=180) due to E. coli. If GBS prevailed in early and late-onset forms in term infants (84 % and 57 % for GBS vs 13 % and 28 % for E. coli), E. coli prevailed in preterm infants (42 % vs 37 % for GBS), and this trend increased in very preterm (GA < 33) (53 % vs 18 %). Number of E. coli early and late-onset meningitis didn't significantly vary over time. Antibiotherapy most often associated a 3(rd) generation cephalosporin, an aminosid and ciprofloxacin; sterilisation of the cerebrospinal fluid was achieved within day 2 to day 4 in 84 % of newborns. Only 3 strains were ESBL. Mortality was 11 % with E. coli, comparable to GBS (12 %) but reached 15 % in preterm infants., Conclusions: E. coli was the prevailing cause of early and late onset bacterial meningitis in premature infants, associated with a higher mortality than in term infants., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Since 2001 in France, a nasopharyngeal carriage study was set up for children six to 24 months old. Any data are available for older children (25 to 60 months). The aim of this study is to compare the nasopharyngeal carriage in children with acute otitis media (AOM) or healthy between both age groups (6/24 months versus 25/60 months). Moreover, during the study period, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has replaced PCV7 in June 2010., Methods: From October 2010 to June 2011, 58 pediatricians obtained nasopharyngeal swabs from children 6-60 months with acute otitis media (AOM) or healthy controls, to analyse the carriage of pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, group A streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus., Results: Of the 1557 enrolled children, 1258 were 6 to 24 months old (315 healthy and 943 AOM) and 299 were 25 to 60 months (102 healthy and 197 AOM). More then 85% were PCV7 vaccinated and the children of 25/60 months were rarely PCV13 vaccinated (14.1%) compared to younger children (69.9%, P<0.001). For children 6/24 months, the Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage was higher in AOM group (57.3%) versus healthy (28.9%). By contrast for older children, the difference (58.4% versus 50%) was not significant. In the healthy group, older children carried more often S. pneumoniae than younger children (50% versus 28.9%, P<0.0001). This trend was also observed for H. influenzae carriage (49% versus 18.7%, P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis in the healthy group showed that siblings and day care center (or school) increased the carriage of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae., Conclusion: These data from nasopharyngeal carriage in children 6 to 60 months old showed that pneumococcus and H. influenzae carriage is high for patients under 2 years, especially in the healthy group. Moreover, these data from the transition PCV7/PCV13, will serve as baseline in France to evaluate the impact of PCV13., (Published by Elsevier SAS.)

Background: The GPIP/ACTIV (Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique and Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val de Marne) set up an active surveillance network to analyze the epidemiological, clinical and biological features of meningococcal meningitis., Methods: French pediatric wards working with 166 microbiology laboratories enrolled all children (0-18 years old) with bacterial meningitis. Risk factors, signs and symptoms, vaccination status, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, treatments and case fatality rate were recorded., Results: Since 2001, 1661 meningococcal meningitis were reported among 3769 (44.1%) bacterial meningitis. Mean age was 4.4- year- old (± 4.8, median 2.5) and 2/3 cases occurred in children under 5- year- old (68.8%). Serogroup B (61.3%) is preponderant following by serogroup C (27.0%). 27.5% of children had received an antibiotic treatment 24 hours before lumbar puncture. A shock is reported in 31.0% of cases. No cases of meningococcal meningitis C has been reported in children vaccinated with a conjugate vaccine. Two children vaccinated with MenBvac(®) vaccine had a meningitis B14:P1.7,16. Global case fatality rate was 6.5% but was higher (9.2%) for serogroup C than for serogroup B (5.9%) (p=0.02)., Conclusion: This is among the largest series of microbiologically documented meningococcal meningitis to date (1661 cases). In France, meningococcal is responsible for approximately 50 % of meningitis. Effective meningococcal serogroup B vaccine and serogroup C vaccination recommendation could control the burden of meningococcal meningitis., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Kingella kingae arthritis in children is now mainly diagnosed by PCR, which has surpassed conventional culture of joint fluid. As oropharynx colonization is the first step of Kingella kingae invasion, we prospectively investigated the possibility of cultivating it from throat swabs, in children hospitalized for K. kingae arthritis. Throat culture was 5.6-fold more sensitive than joint fluid cultures in isolating K. kingae (66.7% vs. 11.9% respectively, p <0.001) and may be used to perform antibiotic susceptibility testing., (© 2012 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2012 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.)

Background: Acute bacterial parotitis is a rare infectious disease in infants under 3 months of age., Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics and the course of acute bacterial parotitis in infants less than 3 months old., Patients and Methods: Infants under 3 months of age, hospitalized at Robert Debré university hospital, Paris, France, between January 2005 and December 2009 for acute bacterial parotitis, were included in a retrospective study., Results: Five infants less than 3 months of age were included in this study, for a frequency of 2.5/1000 hospitalizations in this age group. All were born at term, 4 of 5 were male. Three of the 5 patients had specific clinical signs of parotitis on admission. One patient had septic shock on admission. The ultrasound confirmed the parotitis in all cases. No parotid abscess was demonstrated on imaging. All patients had at least one abnormal inflammatory biological test (WBC, CRP, PCT). Bacteria were identified in 4 of 5 cases: Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in the pus culture of the Stenon duct in 2 patients and a group B Streptococcus was isolated from blood culture of 2 other patients. The duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy varied from 4 to 13 days, and the total duration of antibiotic therapy was between 10 and 16 days. No surgical procedures were needed., Conclusion: Acute bacterial parotitis in infants under 3 months of age might be associated with localized infections due to S. aureus, but also with a more severe clinical presentation due to group B streptococcus infection. Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy might prevent the progression to serious complications., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: The healthy carrier of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) has been studied very little at the national level. With the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains worldwide, and the emergence of new serotypes, an epidemiological survey is needed before the vaccine can be introduced in Morocco., Objectives: This study's objective was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage in children less than 2 years of age in the Marrakech region and to assess the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates and the serotypes present prior to the introduction of the conjugate pneumococcal vaccine., Patients and Methods: From 2008 to 2009, 660 nasopharyngeal samples were collected on children under 2 years of age during scheduled visits to dispensaries for routine immunization in the Marrakech region., Results: S. pneumoniae carriage was found in 45.8% of children. Of the 660 samples, 302 strains were isolated. The percentage of pneumococcal strains with reduced susceptibility to penicillin (PRSP) was 34.7%. Among these strains, 87.1% showed low-level resistance and 12.9% high-level resistance. Resistance to amoxicillin was found in 3.3% of the strains and no strains were resistant to cefotaxime. Several risk factors for pneumococcal carriage were identified, the main ones being breastfeeding less than 2 months, the presence of more than one sibling, passive smoking, and low socioeconomic level. The most frequent serotypes were 19F, 6, 14, 23, 18, and 9. The study of the vaccine serotype distribution showed that the theoretical vaccine coverage of the 7 valent vaccines was at 57% for all the isolates., Conclusion: These data show the frequency and the risk factors on nasopharyngeal carriage, and report the status of penicillin resistance of strains carrying children less than 2 years of age in the Marrakech region. The fluctuation of circulating serotypes at the national level underscores the importance of epidemiological surveillance carried out before the introduction of the heptavalent vaccine in Morocco., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The choice of antibiotics (ATB) to treat acute otitis media (AOM) has to take into account the level of resistance of bacteria species implicated. The aim of this study was to evaluate in France, ATB resistance of pneumococci and H. influenzae isolated from the nasopharyngeal flora, in children with AOM, vaccinated with 7 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)., Methods: From 2006 to 2010, 66 pediatricians performed nasopharyngeal specimens of children 6 to 24 months with AOM. Demographic characteristics, history, vaccination status and symptoms were reported on a case report form transmitted to ACTIV., Results: Of the 3,501 children included (mean age 13.5 ± 5 months), over 98% were PCV7 vaccinated and 41.1% were cared in day care center. A total of 47.3% of children had received ATB within 3 months before inclusion (cephalosporins, 22.6% and amoxicillin clavulanate, 19.2%). Pneumococcus and H. influenzae carriage was respectively 57.9% and 48.2%. Pneumococcal strains with reduced susceptibility to penicillin represented 46.3% of cases (3.9% highly resistant strains and 42.4% intermediate resistant strains). Factors that increased the risk of carrying these strains were: day care center (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: [1.2, 1.9]) and two courses or more of ATB before inclusion (OR: 2.6 (95% CI: [2.0, 3.4]). For H. influenzae strains the proportion of ßlactamases+ producing strains was 17.1% and those with reduced susceptibility due to penicillin binding protein changes (BLNAR+ strains+) accounted for 7.7% of cases. Three factors increased the risk of carriage BLNAR+ ßlactamase+ producing strains: age equal or greater than 12 months (OR: 3.5, 95% CI: [1.2, 10.3]), cephalosporin use (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: [1.0, 6.1]) and two courses or more of ATB before inclusion (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: [1.2, 8.0])., Conclusion: The data in this study (reduction of ßlactamase producing H. influenzae strains and increase of intermediate penicillin pneumococcal strains) should help to change the choice of antibiotics for AOM in children in France, by reducing the role of oral cephalosporins and secondly, by giving frontline amoxicillin ± clavulanic acid., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLS) enterobacteriaceae colonization and infection in hospitalized children., Methods: This prospective study was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit from 2000 to 2009. We recorded all isolations of ESBLs enterobacteriaceae from clinical samples that were obtained from hospitalized children. Anorectal samples were taken at admission and every 10 days. We systematically recorded cases of confirmed infections that was caused by ESBLs enterobacteriacea., Results: A total of 46 ESBL(S) pathogens (E coli 58.7 %, Enterobacter cloacae 10.8 %, Klebsiella Pneumonia 19.5%, K. oxytoca 6.5 %, Citrobacter 4.5 %) were isolated during 10 years, the global incidence was 5.1 cases per 1000 admissions. Three infants developed nosocomial infections, E. coli sepsis and pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae omphalitis. These patients were treated with carbapenem with significant clinical improvement. ESBLs enterobacteriaceae were found first in Klebsiella pneumonia and then predominantly in E. coli. Current efforts have focused on monitoring proper hand hygiene, evaluation of potential reservoirs of bacterial acquisition and transmission, cohorting and isolation of colonized infants, and fostering of effective inter- and intrahospital communication. Carbapenem seems to be safe in newborn and is recommended for the treatment of EBLSEs enterobacteriaceae infections., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs) are defined as β-lactamase capable of hydrolyzine oximino-cephalosporins and aztreonam and are encoded by mobile genes. The most frequently encountered ESBLs belong to the CTX-M, SHV, and TEM families. ESBLs were found first in Klebsiella pneumonia and then predominantly in E. coli. The incidence of patients with ESBLs E. coli increase since 2000 in Robert Debré Hospital. They were responsible of cystitis or pyelopnephritis and rarely of materno-foetal infections or neonatal meningitis. These strains were susceptible to colimycin, carbapenems and fosfomycin., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

An outbreak of colonization and infection with an Escherichia coli strain producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) occurred in a neonatal unit : a high rate of cases was observed, 27/59 neonates were colonized : one of them developed meningitis with favourable outcome and another baby developed conjunctivitis. Despite intensive efforts to control the outbreak by standard methods of hand hygiene, patients screening and isolation, the spread was uncontrolled and the unit was closed to all admission in order to stop the outbreak. The investigation was not able to identify a single outbreak's source. Emergence and spread of ESBL producing E. coli strains from community and hospital acquired infections are a significant public health problem with difficult choice of treatment for serious infections., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Since the 1980s, infections due to Streptococcus pyogenes or group A streptococci (GAS) were marked by the increase in invasive infections and the emergence of clones which were resistant to macrolides. Those challenges led the French national reference center for streptococci to enhance the epidemiological survey and the characterization of GAS strains, in collaboration with the National Institute for Public Health Surveillance. Active surveillance is of major importance for implementation of therapeutic and prophylactic guidelines and for evaluation of future streptococcal vaccines., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Listeriosis is a serious invasive disease which affects mainly pregnant women, newborns and immunocompromised adults., Objective: To analyze specifically the epidemiological and clinical data of the meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), from the French Network of Surveillance of Bacterial Meningitis in childhood., Patients and Methods: Patients were aged 0 to 18 years. The diagnosis was based on a combination of a feverish meningeal syndrome and a positive culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and/or a positive PCR in the CSF and/or positive blood culture associated with a pleiocytose., Results: Among 2539 cases of bacterial meningitis recorded in 6 years (2001 to 2006), 18 cases were due to Lm (0.7 %) (sex ratio M / F : 0.8). The average of age was 2.5 years (median : 0.5 ; ext : 0-15.1). The serotype of Lm was 4B in half of the cases. Most cases have occured in summer and autumn. Two patients presented an acquired or congenital immunodeficiency. Fifty-six percent (n=10) were younger than 1 year, among them, 7 were newborns. The CSF direct microbiologic investigation was suggestive of Lm (Gram positive bacilli) only in two cases, but the culture of CSF was positive for 16 patients and the blood culture was positive for 2 other patients. Three of 18 patients died between 7 and 13 days after admittance : a premature baby of 25 weeks'gestational age, two full-term newborns of 2 days and 1.5 months old. The mortality rate was 16.7 % before the age of 1 year (no death after this age)., Conclusion: Meningitis due to Lm remains a rare disease, including in neonatal period. The recent increase of cases in adults requires to maintain vigilance in children especially since direct examination of CSF can rarely allow the diagnosis.

Objective: The group B streptococcal meningitis (GBS) remains an important cause of child's morbidity and mortality. The purposes of this work were to appreciate the GBS place among the bacterial meningitis, to define clinical and biological factors associated with death and to study the immediate complications., Patients and Methods: This study concerned 276 GBS meningitis listed by the observatory of GPIP/ACTIV on the child's bacterial meningitis in France from January, 2001 to December, 2005. This report is one of the biggest series of child's GBS meningitis published to this day., Results: The GBS was the third germ in frequency responsible for bacterial meningitis at every age (13 %) : 65 % of the GBS meningitis affected infants less than one month of age, 29 % infants between 1 month and 3 months of age and only 6 % infants more than 3 months of age. The male/female ratio in GBS meningitis was nearly equal (51 % vs 49 %). There was no variation of the GBS meningitis number according to the season. The serotype III was mostly involved in this cohort (81 %) followed by the serotype I (13 %). Statistically we observed a significant decline in the number of early onset meningitis from 2001 to 2004 whereas the number of late meningitis and the total meningitis cases were stable. The biological results mostly present in child's GBS meningitis were a high CSF protein level (95 %), a CSF neutrophil count more than fifteen percent (90 %), a low CSF glucose level (83.5 %), leukopenia (49 %) or a normal blood level leukocyte (38 %). Eighty three percent of the children affected by GBS meningitis were term infants. However, the prematurity seemed to be a risk factor to develop late meningitis (age between 7 days and 3 months) and very late meningitis (after 3 months) but no early onset meningitis. Prematurity, convulsions, shock, coma, assisted ventilation, high CSF protein level, weak CSF cell level and leukopenia seemed to be factors associated with death in the GBS meningitis. The mortality of the GBS meningitis was still 14 % and the immediate complications were observed in 62 % of cases, the most frequent being convulsions (45 %)., Conclusion: The GBS meningitis in children remains a frequent problem in pediatrics despite intra partum antibioprophylaxy and thus must encourage to strengthen the prevention of these meningitis.

Objective: To conduct a descriptive analysis of clinical, biological and prognostic aspects of Escherichia coli meningitis in young infants., Methods: Clinical and biological data on young infants diagnosed with neonatal E. coli meningitis (NECM) between 1988 and 2004 were collected retrospectively and analyzed with respect to the isolates'phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. The molecular analyses focused on the phylogenetic group, the sequence-O-type, and genetic virulence traits. The virulence of lethal strains was tested in a newborn rat meningitis model., Results: The median age of the 99 children analyzed was 10 days (0 to 90 days), and 83 of the patients were newborns. Thirty-three children were premature. Hyper- or hypothermia was the most frequent clinical sign at admission. Intercurrent urinary tract infection was present in 28% of cases, all over 6 days of age. 81% of blood cultures were positive. The CSF cytology was abnormal in 97% of cases. Twelve hours after admission, 34% of infants were transferred to intensive care. One-third of transfontanellar ultrasound scans done on admission were abnormal. CSH sterilization was slow in 15 % of cases, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. The use of ciprofloxacin was associated with more rapid CSF sterilization (94 % vs 77 %, p=0.03). Six children relapsed. The average follow-up was eight months, and 21 % of children had sequelae. The case lethality rate was 14%. Fatal outcome was associated with signs of septic shock (57% vs 3%, p<10(-4)) and neurological failure (76% vs 19%, p<10(-4)) within the first 24 hours, and with abnormalities on the first ultrasound scan (63% vs 27%, p=0.03). The risk of death was higher among children infected by strains belonging to unusual sequence-O-types (50% vs 18%, p=0.01), which harbored fewer virulence factors (4.8 vs 5.9, p<10(-4)). Only aerobactin was less frequent in lethal strains (71 % vs 94%, p=0.02). Strains belonging to unusual sequence-O-types and that were lethal in the animal model induced a significantly lower level of bacteremia than strains belonging to frequent sequence-O-types (p<0.001)., Conclusion: E. coli meningitis remains highly lethal in infants. Clinical and molecular analyses showed a link between lethality and infrequent sequence-O-types. The avirulence of these strains in animal models suggests that fatal outcome could be due to host susceptibility more than to strain virulence.

Background and Method: Group A streptococcal (GAS) invasive infections have been increasingly reported in recent years but meningitis due to GAS remains a rare affection. In children some scarce case reports have been described. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the clinical and biological data on GAS meningitis recorded in the Bacterial Meningitis (BM) French Surveillance Network (GPIP/ACTIV)., Results: From 2001 through end 2006, 2539 children suffering from proven bacterial meningitis were recorded in the data base. Among them 10 children presented GAS infections. The mean age was 6 years (9 months to 14.1 years) and the sex ratio (male/female) 4/1. Seven out of the 10 patients had a history of community acquired infection before the onset of GAS meningitis : 3 had previous acute otitis media, 1 otitis media with mastoiditis, 2 sinusitis and 1 soft tissue infection. In the 3 remaining children no risk factors of invasive GAS infection could be identified. All but 1 patient survived. The patient who died had no risk factors for invasive infectious disease. He presented with fulminant septicaemia and died 6hours after hospital admission despite appropriate supportive care and prompt antibiotic treatment. The cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed high white blood cells counts (>500/mm(3)) in 8 patients and Gram stained smear showed gram-positive cocci in 6 patients. All the patients received antibiotic regimen including 3(rd) generation cephalosporins before definite bacterial identification and all the strains were susceptible to the first line antibiotic treatment chosen., Conclusion: GAS is an uncommon organism causing meningitis in children. In our study upper respiratory tract infection is the most common predisposing factor for GAS meningitis but even apparently healthy children can suffer from this severe form of bacterial meningitis.

Background: In France, meningococcal meningitis account for 50% of bacterial meningitis in children. The GPIP/ACTIV (Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique and Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val de Marne) set up an active surveillance network to analyze the epidemiological, clinical and biological features of meningococcal meningitis., Methods: From 2001 to 2007, 252 French paediatric wards working with 166 microbiology laboratories enrolled all children (0-18 years old) with bacterial meningitis. Risk factors, signs and symptoms, vaccination status, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, treatments and case fatality rate were recorded., Results: During the period of the study, 1344 meningococcal meningitis were reported among 2951 (45.5%) bacterial meningitis. Mean age was 4.4 years (+/-4.7, median 2.5) and 2/3 cases occurred in children under 5 years (68.5%). Serogroup B (59.1%) was preponderant following by serogroup C (28.9%). 25% of children had received an antibiotic treatment 24hours before lumbar puncture. A shock was reported in 31.3% of cases. Cerebrospinal fluid culture was positive in 73% of cases. All N. meningitidis isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone while 41.6% and 25.7% showed reduced susceptibility to penicillin and amoxicillin respectively. Two cases of meningitis due to isolates of serogroups C and B were reported in two children that were respectively vaccinated using A+C plain saccharide vaccine or two doses of MenBvac vaccine. All patients had received beta-lactamin. Global case fatality rate was 6.6% but was higher (9.9%) for serogroup C than for serogroup B (5.5%) (p=0,007)., Conclusion: This study is among the largest series of microbiologically documented meningococcal meningitis to date (more than 1300 cases). In France, meningococal is responsible for 50 % of meningitis. Effective meningococcal serogroup B vaccine and serogroup C vaccination recommendation could lessen considerably the burden of meningococal meningitis.

Objectives: Consequence of the introduction of vaccines against bacteria involved in meningitis in children and various recommendations concerning antibiotics, the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis has changed during the last fifteen years. The GPIP/ACTIV (Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique and Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val de Marne) set up an active surveillance network to analyze the clinical and biological features of bacterial meningitis., Methods: From 2001 to 2007, 252 French pediatric wards working with 168 microbiology laboratories enrolled all children (0-18 years old) with bacterial meningitis. Risk factors, vaccination status, signs and symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, treatments and case fatality rate were recorded., Results: 2951 cases of bacterial menigitis were recorded by 237 pediatric wards. Geographical distribution covered a large part of the national territory. Overall, the annual number of cases varied from 452 (in 2001 and 2003) to 378 (in 2004). Meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis respectively represented about the half (46 %) and the third (28 %) of cases. Few cases of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis were reported (3 %). For the neonatal period, group B Streptococcus and E. coli were the most frequently identified pathogens. In children less than one year old, pneumococcus was the first one, and after 1 year, meningococcus was predominant. The mortality rate varied according to bacteria, 6.6 % for the meningococcus, 11.6 % for pneumococcus, 14.1 % for group B streptococcus and 16.7 % for Listeria meningitis. It varied also with age, 14.9 % among infants 1 to 2 months old and 6.3 % in children over 5 years., Conclusion: Closed to 3000 meningitis were recorded during seven years in children, which underlines the interest of the survey. This network is principally supported by the goodwill and availability of pediatricians and microbiologists who participate in the study. This special supplement issue of Archive de Pédiatrie allows a complete presentation of our results. In next following years, any amendment to the immunization schedule, any perspective of implementation of new vaccines will transform the epidemiology and clinical caracteristics of bacterial menigitis. Therefore, continued surveillance appears necessary.

Background: Pneumococcal meningitis represents one major cause of morbidity and mortality in children in France. The GPIP/ACTIV (Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique and Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val de Marne) set up an active surveillance network to analyze the clinical and biological features of pneumococcal meningitis and the impact of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)., Methods: From 2001 to 2007, 252 French pediatric wards working with 168 microbiology laboratories enrolled all children (0-18 years old) with bacterial meningitis. Risk factors, signs and symptoms, vaccination status, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, treatments and case fatality rate were recorded., Results: Within the 7 years study period, 832 pneumococcal meningitis were reported among 2951 bacterial meningitis. In 2001 as in 2007, excluding the neonatal period, pneumococal meningitis represented nearly 1/3 of bacterial meningitis without significant decline in the number of reported cases (less than 30% for children under 2 years old). The peak of incidence was at 5 months of age and 61.7% of cases occured in children 2 to 24 months old. PCV7 vaccinated patients represented 154 cases from 2003 to 2007. In the vaccinated population, serotypes were identified in 136 cases. Few vaccine serotypes (VT) were identified (n=18). The most important was serotype 19F (n=8) followed by 6B (n=4) and 14 (n=3). Three vaccine failures (case occurring after complete vaccination) were observed (serotypes 6B, 4 and 19F). Remaining cases (n=118) were mainly due to non vaccine serotypes (NVT): serotypes 19A, 15B/C and 7F. In 2007, the serotype 19A, more often intermediary strains to cytoxin, represented about 20% of cases. Among non vaccinated children, VT decreased between 2001 and 2007 (59/92 in 2001 vs 15/39 in 2007). Case fatality rate was stable around 11.4%., Conclusion: In France, probably because of the insufficient vaccination coverage and the slow implementation of the PCV7, the expected decline in the number of cases of pneumococcal meningitis has not been observed. The impact of PCV7 appeared clearly since only few cases of VT pneumococcal meningitis were reported in vaccinated children.

Objective: Delayed cerebrospinal fluid sterilization is defined by a positive second lumbar puncture, recommanded according to the guidelines from the French Consensus Conference of 1996 between the 36th and 48th hours after the beginning of antibiotics prescribed for pneumococcal meningitis. The aim of this study was to analyze specifically delayed cerebrospinal fluid sterilization, identified during the first 5 years of the French observatory of children bacterial meningitis., Patients and Methods: The Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique (GPIP) and Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val de Marne (ACTIV) has set up since the first of January 2001 a descriptive national multicenter network, to determine incidence, main characteristics, and prognosis of bacterial meningitis in children. A questionnaire, available in all paediatric unit taking care of bacterial meningitis, was completed by a referral doctor. It contained reasons for inclusion in the study, anamnesis, clinical examination, treatment, pneumococcal characteristics, and short term prognosis. Delayed cerebrospinal fluid sterilization were identified, and the analysis of their medical records completed the questionnaire., Results: From 1st January 2001 to 31 December 2005, 616 pneumococcal meningitis were identified. Among them, 442 had a second lumbar puncture, and 8 had delayed cerebrospinal fluid sterilization. The analyis of their medical records were reviewed to describe their characteristics. Two had an osteomeningeal breach, one a ventriculoperitoneal valve. All received previously an antibiotic, and were treated with a curative antibiotic by cephalosporins. Vancomycin was given in 6 cases. The antibiotic was inadapted to the French guidelines for 1 patient. There are 4 vaccine type pneumococci and only 1 strain was resistant to penicillin, and intermediate to cephalosporins. The controlled lumbar puncture was made between 36.5 and 179.4hours after beginning antibiotics. One patient has received a double dose of steroids. Three were in a coma, had convulsions, and were ventilated, none died. One patient has a sequellar paired deafness, two a severe disability, four a normal psychomotor development., Conclusion: The delay of sterilization is a rare situation and represented only 1.8 % of pneumococcal meningitis during the first five years of the observatory. These results suggest that a second lumbar puncture to assess sterilization could be proposed only in cases of unfavourable clinical course, MIC greater than or equal 0.5mg/l to 3GC, risk factors for delayed cerebrospinal fluid sterilization and high bacterial inoculum.

In this study, the authors report the distribution of serogroups/serotypes and their susceptibility profiles of Streptococcus pneumoniae causing recurrent and difficulties to treat acute otitis media (AOM) in children obtained at the ENT outpatient clinic of Robert Debré Hospital in Paris, between 2002-2008 after the implementation of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. In this retrospective study, 126 S. pneumoniae isolates were obtained by tympanocentesis from 126 children with AOM during three different periods: 2002-2003 (period 1), 2004-2005 (period 2), and 2006-2008 (period 3). In period 1, the most common serotype was 19F. Between period 1 and period 3, the proportion of serotype 19F decreased from 39 to 13% (P=0.03). In contrast, the proportion of serotype 19A increased from 25 to 60% (P=0.03). So, they observed that vaccine-related serotype 19A became dominant among young children with AOM in 2006-2008. Overall, 15.1% of the isolates were penicillin susceptible, 73.8% intermediate and 11.1% were resistant. Most (94%) of the S. pneumoniae serotype 19A were penicillin intermediate.

Introduction: Vancomycin is the cornerstone of therapy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus in both community- and hospital-acquired infections. Monitoring vancomycin concentration is essential to prevent over- or underdosing of pediatric patients. However, only initial trough vancomycin concentrations may be needed to optimize dosages. The optimal rate of the trough serum level to the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) should be equal to or greater than 8 in severe infections., Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the initial trough serum levels of vancomycin obtained from pediatric patients treated with vancomycin for suspected or confirmed Staphylococcus infections in combination with MIC determination., Patients: We reviewed the medical records of 3759 children aged, more than 1 month, and 358 neonate patients during a period of 10 years in Robert-Debré Hospital, Paris., Methods: Serum levels were determined using the polarization fluorescence method. MIC was determined using the E-test method., Results and Conclusion: Of the 3759 children studied, 55% had a through serum level less than 10mg/L and 24% had greater than 15 mg/L. Of the 358 neonates, 43% had a trough serum level less than 10mg/L and 31% greater than 15 mg/L. Among these children, 425 had documented Staphylococcus bacteremia with vancomycin MIC determination. Determining the trough level concentration in infected pediatric patients remains mandatory to optimize the vancomycin regimen. The rate of the trough serum level to MIC was less than 4 in 50% of the patients and more than 10 in 5% of the patients.

Isolation of a bacterial strain at the infectious site and determination of the susceptibility profile may help to guide appropriate antibiotic treatment. However technical difficulties justify interpretative reading to recognize interfering resistance mechanisms from resistance phenotypes. The aim of this article is to give some examples showing interpretative reading of routine sensitivity test data.

Children empyema pose therapeutic problems for reasons that are not clearly established. The pneumococcus is by far the bacteria most often responsible. There is no clinical study demonstrating the superiority of an antibiotic regimen over another. Even though these studies exist, they would be challenged by the evolution of bacterial resistance that may vary depending on different parameters: antibiotic pressure, vaccination etc. Therefore, it is on the microorganism suspected, the data of bacterial resistance and pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamic (Pk / Pd) parameters that lead to antibiotic choice. An analysis of these elements can lead to the following proposals. For pneumococcal empyema, intravenous 3rd generation cephalosporin at dose of 100mg/kg/day divided 4 injections IV for cefotaxime or 50mg/kg/day in once a day for ceftriaxone. These doses are likely to be doubled in case of pneumococcus resistant to penicillin. Neither fosfomycine or aminoglycosides have a sufficient activity against pneumococcus to be offered in combination. If an association seems useful, the two best candidates are vancomycin and rifampin. For group A streptococcus empyema, clindamycin in association with is certainly the best choice. The recent evolution of resistance to macrolides should lead to check the susceptibility of the bacteria implicated. If S. aureus is susceptible to meticilline (most often), a M penicillin by parenteral route associated with an aminoglycoside is proposed. Fosfomycine can be an alternative to the aminoglycoside. If S. aureus is meticilline resistant, the association vancomycin and rifampicin seems best suited. When no bacteria has been isolated, the choice against pneumococcus resistant seems most appropriate.

To identify factors associated with Escherichia coli meningitis (ECM) mortality in infants aged <3 months, the clinical, biological and bacterial characteristics of isolates from 99 cases of ECM were compared, including the phylogenetic group, multilocus sequence type, O serogroup and sequence O type (a combination of sequence type complex (STc) and O serogroup) and virulence genotype. All 99 isolates were susceptible to the initial antimicrobial treatment. The mortality rate (14%) was not influenced by term or post-natal age. Hypotension or seizures were the sole clinical predictive factors for fatal outcome (p <0.01), and abnormal initial trans-fontanellar ultrasound was associated with death (p 0.03). Seventy-seven isolates belonged to the common sequence O types (STc29(O1), STc29(O18), STc29(O45), STc301(O7), STc304(O16), STc697(O83), STc700(O1)) causing neonatal meningitis. None of the phylogenetic groups and none of the virulence determinants were distributed differently between survivors and non-survivors, except that the aerobactin gene (iucC) was less frequent in lethal isolates (94% vs. 71%, p 0.02). Isolates belonging to rare sequence O types were more likely to be lethal (OR 4.3, p 0.01), although they induced a lower level of bacteraemia than common sequence O types such as STc29(O18) and STc29(O45) in a neonatal rat model. These results suggest that unidentified human genetic risk-factors may be more important than strain virulence in predicting ECM mortality.

The susceptibility of 136 Escherichia coli isolates from cases of neonatal meningitis to amoxycillin, ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin was determined in relation to the carriage of virulence factors and phylogenetic group. Only amoxycillin and nalidixic acid resistance was observed (40% and 3%, respectively). Nalidixic acid resistance alone was associated with non-virulent phylogenetic group A (50% vs. 6% of susceptible isolates; p 0.03). No difference in virulence was observed between two representative nalidixic acid-susceptible virulent group B2 isolates and their nalidixic acid-resistant derivatives in a rat model of neonatal meningitis, suggesting that nalidixic acid resistance does not affect the virulence of E. coli strains causing meningitis.

Rotavirus is the major cause of gastroenteritis in children and the main cause of hospital acquired-infection in paediatric unit. We report the epidemiology of gastroenteritis in our hospital during five consecutive years. Rotavirus was involved in 13% of the patients. Seasonal peaks were observed in January and 45.8% of the patients were less than 6 month old. The rotavirus infection was hospital-acquired in 1/3 of the cases. During the winter period, the incidence of rotavirus nosocomial infection was 4.4%.

The diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis is a clinical one. Acute-phase reactants, such as white blood cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are useful to help the clinicians at the time of initial diagnosis. The WBC count may be normal in up to 80 % of cases and it is not a reliable indicator. The ESR is elevated in 80 % of cases. CRP is elevated more than 80 % of cases. CRP rises rapidly within 48 hours of admission and returns to normal within a week after appropriate therapy. Its rapid kinetics is useful for follow-up of the response treatment. Patients who require surgical drainage procedures have prolonged time to normalization of CRP. PCT is a useful specific marker for predicting severe infection but its sensibility to detect bone and joint infections seems to be low.

A 1-year prospective cohort study of all episodes of Escherichia coli bacteraemia in two French university hospitals was conducted to assess simultaneously the influence of host and bacterial determinants on the initial severity and outcome of E. coli sepsis. Clinical data (community-acquired/nosocomial infection, immune status, underlying disease, primary source of infection, severity sepsis scoring and outcome), phylogenetic groups (A, B1, D and B2), nine virulence factors (VFs) (papC, papGII, papGIII, sfa/foc, hlyC, cnf1, iucC, fyuA and iroN) and the antibiotic susceptibility of isolates were investigated. All VFs except iucC were significantly more prevalent (p <0.05) among the B2 group isolates. The non-B2 isolates were more frequently resistant to antibiotics than were B2 isolates (p <0.05). There were significantly more B2 isolates from immunocompetent than from immunocompromised patients (p <0.05). No bacterial or host determinants influenced the initial severity of sepsis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of papGIII, septic shock at baseline and a non-urinary tract origin of sepsis were associated independently with a fatal outcome (p 0.04, <0.0001 and 0.04, respectively). A factorial analysis of correspondence allowed two populations of isolates to be distinguished: those belonging to the B2 group were associated more frequently with susceptibility to antibiotics, community-acquired infection, a urinary tract origin and immunocompetent hosts; those belonging to the A, B1 or D groups were associated more frequently with resistance to antibiotics, a nosocomial origin, a non-urinary tract source and immunocompromised hosts. Although no influence of host or bacterial determinants on the initial severity of sepsis was detected, bacterial and host determinants both influenced the outcome of E. coli sepsis significantly.

Antimicrobial chemotherapy prescription should take into account the following items: 1) accurate diagnosis (most often clinical) and definition criteria of infectious diseases; 2) treatment justification; 3) confirmation of a bacterial etiology (now facilitated in some clinical situations by broadly available easy-to-use rapid diagnosis tests); 4 evidence-based antimicrobial choices; 5) modalities of prescriptions guided by official authorities (guidelines from French agency of medicinal products).

Escherichia coli isolates causing acute pyelonephritis in 93 children (25% with urinary tract abnormalities) were tested for nine virulence factors (papC, papGII, papGIII, sfa/foc, hlyC, cnf1, iucC, fyuA and iroN) and their phylogenetic groups were determined. Isolates lacking papGII were more frequent among patients with urinary tract abnormalities (58% vs. 10%, p 0.0003), as were non-virulent phylogenetic group A isolates (25% vs. 5%, p 0.043). Pyelonephritis caused by less virulent E. coli strains was more frequent among patients with significant urinary tract abnormalities. Further studies are required to determine whether screening for E. coli virulence factors may help to identify children warranting anatomical investigations.

A multidisciplinary panel of specialists and general practitioners provided definitions for the different forms of acute pediatric rhinosinusitis, with a description of the main symptoms and signs. They emphasized the role of concomitant systemic diseases, such as allergy and immunological disorders. Incidence, description, and management of complications are presented. They also provided the indications for radiological examination and microbiological investigations. The adequate medical management, particularly the place and the type of antibiotics, is analyzed and discussed, and guidelines for practical situations are suggested.

Two cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa neonatal meningitis are reported. Case 1 occurred on day 6 of life, at home, in a full term newborn. Favourable outcome was obtained with a treatment associating ceftazidime, 21 days, gentamicin, 10 days and ciprofloxacin, 10 days. Case no 2 was a nosocomial meningitis in a 32 weeks and 4 days gestational age premature newborn. Despite in vitro effective antibiotherapy with ceftazidime, netilmicine and ciprofloxacine, six cerebral abscesses were observed during the second week of treatment. Ceftazidime was stopped after 6 weeks and ciprofloxacine prolonged until neuroradiological cure of cerebral lesions at one year of age. Normal outcome was observed at 3 and 4 and half year of age. Therapeutic indications and clinical tolerance of ciprofloxacine in neonatal meningitis are discussed.