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We aimed to assess the independent effect of clinical spectrum, bacterial inoculum size and physician characteristics on the sensitivity of a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) for group A streptococcus (GAS) in children. Double throat swabs were collected from 1,482 children with pharyngitis and 294 asymptomatic children in a French prospective, office-based, multicenter ( n = 17) study, from October 2009 to May 2011. Patient- and physician-level factors potentially affecting RADT sensitivity were studied by univariate and multivariate multilevel analysis, with laboratory throat culture as the reference test. In children with pharyngitis and asymptomatic children, the prevalence of GAS was 38 % (95 % confidence interval 36-41 %) and 11 % (7-14 %), respectively. Overall, RADT sensitivity was 87 % (84-90 %). On stratified and multivariate multilevel analysis, RADT sensitivity was higher for children with pharyngitis than asymptomatic children (89 % vs. 41 %), children <9 than ≥9 years old (88 % vs. 79 %) and those with heavy than light inoculum (94 % vs. 53 %). RADT sensitivity was influenced by the physician performing the test (range 56-96 %, p = 0.01) and was higher for physicians with hospital-based clinical activity in addition to office-based practice (adjusted odds ratio 3.4 [95 % confidence interval 1.9-6.3], p < 0.001); inter-physician variations in RADT sensitivity were largely explained by this variable (proportional change in variance >99 %). The sensitivity of the RADT is independently affected by patient- and physician-level factors. Physicians who base their diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis on the results of a RADT alone should consider diagnostic accuracy monitoring and adequate training when needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Summary: 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 &y& Elsevier]

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 (STc29O1, STc29O18, STc29O45, STc301O7, STc304O16, STc697O83, STc700O1) 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 STc29O18 and STc29O45 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acute ethmoiditis are bacterial infections of ethmoid sinuses, which may spread to the orbital or the endocranial spaces. It is essential to fit the antibiotherapy to the bacteria responsible for these infections. Population and methods. – The charts of children hospitalized from 1995 to 2003 for an acute ethmoiditis were reviewed, particularly the results of bacterial exams and the antibiotics delivered. Results. – Over this 9-year period, 125 children (mean age 4.5 years) were hospitalized for acute ethmoiditis. Eighty were checked for blood cultures, which were sterile in 73 cases, and in the other cases, grew Staphylococcus, S. Pneumoniae or Streptococcus pyogenes. Seric soluble antigens were absent in the 5 cases where they were looked for. Ten children had a puncture of a subperiostal abscess: it was sterile in 5 cases, Staphylococcus was found in 4 cases, S. pneumoniae in the last case. Most children received an association of cefotaxim and fosfomycine for a mean duration of 5.6 days. Thirteen per cent of the children received 3 or 4 antibiotics. Discussion. – It is always difficult to found the bacteria responsible for an acute ethmoiditis. In our serie as in others, the most frequent bacteria were Staphylococcus, S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes. Conclusion. – In view of the bacteria responsible for these infections and their antibiotic resistance, we suggest the association of cefotaxim and fosfomycin for the first line of treatment of acute ethmoiditis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]