The Pediatric infectious disease journal
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Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. · Jun 2004
Comparative StudyDifferentiating acute bacterial meningitis from acute viral meningitis among children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis: a multivariable regression model.
Although accurate models for predicting acute bacterial meningitis exist, most have narrow application because of the specific variables selected for them. In this study, we estimate the accuracy of a simple new model with potentially broader applicability. ⋯ Among children with CSF pleocytosis, a prediction model based exclusively on age, CSF total protein and CSF neutrophils differentiates accurately between acute bacterial and viral meningitis.
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Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. · Jun 2004
Comparative StudyLow birth weight infants and Calmette-Guérin bacillus vaccination at birth: community study from Guinea-Bissau.
In developing countries, low birth weight (LBW) children are often not vaccinated with Calmette-Guérin bacillus (BCG) at birth. Recent studies have suggested that BCG may have a nonspecific beneficial effect on infant mortality. We evaluated the consequences of not vaccinating LBW children at birth in Guinea-Bissau. ⋯ The policy of not vaccinating with BCG at birth had a negative impact on vaccination coverage for LBW children. Early BCG vaccination had no large negative impact on TST and BCG scarring. Mortality was lower for BCG-vaccinated than for unvaccinated LBW children controlling for available background factors. BCG vaccination of LBW children may have a beneficial effect on survival that cannot be explained by protection against tuberculosis. Future studies should examine possible adverse effects from equalizing BCG policy for LBW and NBW children.