Japanese journal of infectious diseases
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Jpn. J. Infect. Dis. · Sep 2020
Case ReportsThe First Pediatric Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japan: Risk of Co-Infection with Other Respiratory Viruses.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and has a high mortality rate. The disease emerged from Wuhan, China, in late 2019, and spread to Japan, including Hokkaido, in January 2020. In February 2020, 3 children were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan. ⋯ Two of the 3 patients experienced co-infection with other respiratory viruses, including influenza virus A or human metapneumovirus. To the authors' knowledge, the cases described in the present report were the first pediatric patients with COVID-19 in Japan. In children with COVID-19, the possibility of co-infection with other respiratory pathogens should be considered.
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Jpn. J. Infect. Dis. · Sep 2020
Comparative StudyAssessment of Real-Time RT-PCR Kits for SARS-CoV-2 Detection.
The coronavirus induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 is currently spreading rapidly worldwide. We recently reported a laboratory protocol for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 based on real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assays using two primer sets, N and N2. On January 30-31, 2020, the protocol and the reagents for these assays were distributed to the local public health institutes and quarantine depots in Japan nationwide, and thereafter SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing was initiated. ⋯ While the LM S&W-E set targets the highly conserved region of E gene in the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, the N2 set was designed to target specifically the unique region in the SARS-CoV-2 N gene. Therefore, the N2 set exhibits high specificity and sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 detection. These results indicate that the protocol using the N and N2 sets is comparable to the commercially available kits, and thus is reliable for laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Jpn. J. Infect. Dis. · Jan 2019
Case ReportsStreptococcus mitis/oralis Causing Blood Stream Infections in Pediatric Patients.
Viridans streptococci are still under investigation concerning epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical presentations. We aimed to investigate the clinical presentations and outcomes of pediatric patients infected with Streptococcus mitis/oralis. Based on the accumulation of bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by S. mitis/oralis in 4 patients in our Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Department at a particular time, a review of the medical and microbiological records of pediatric patients with positive blood cultures for S. mitis/oralis in the entire hospital was performed. ⋯ Although not significant, previous antibiotic use and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis were more common in the case group. S. mitis/oralis seems likely an important agent in bacteremic children who are particularly neutropenic because of the underlying hematologic and oncologic diseases. Prompt management of infections with appropriate antimicrobials, regarding antibiotic susceptibilities of organisms, may facilitate favorable outcomes.
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Jpn. J. Infect. Dis. · Nov 2018
Case ReportsBartonella henselae Neuroretinitis in Patients without Cat Scratch.
Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a syndrome characterized by lymphadenopathy, fever, and skin lesions following a cat scratch or bite. Bartonella henselae is the primary bacterial agent responsible for CSD. In this report, we describe cases with atypical presentation of serologically proven B. henselae neuroretinitis. ⋯ There was no disease recurrence after the completion of treatment. Serious complications were seen in the untreated patient. In conclusion, B. henselae infection should be considered even when there are no systemic signs and symptoms of CSD in patients with neuroretinitis.