The Pediatric infectious disease journal
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Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. · Jul 2008
Comparative StudyClinical features of children infected with different strains of influenza B in southern Taiwan.
This study was designed to determine the clinical characteristics of children infected with different strains of influenza B viruses isolated in southern Taiwan. The clinical features were compared with influenza A infection occurring in the same period. ⋯ Currently new reassortant influenza B viruses are the predominant strains circulating in southern Taiwan. There is considerable similarity of clinical features between influenza A and B in children. The Yamagata-like strains were associated with more invasive infections. Continuous influenza virus surveillance is essential particularly in Taiwan where pandemic strains tend to appear earlier than in other countries.
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Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. · Jul 2008
A score identifying serious bacterial infections in children with fever without source.
The objective of the study was to develop a simple clinical tool to identify serious bacterial infection (SBI) in children with fever without a source. For each child, a clinical assessment, a white blood cell count, a urine analysis, a determination of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and appropriate cultures were performed. ⋯ The sensitivity of the score for the identification of SBI was 94% and the specificity 81%. In the validation set the sensitivity of the score was 94% and the specificity 78%.