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Children
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Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Children: Latest Developments and Treatments
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Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Children: Latest Developments and Treatments

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 2492

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Laurens Holmes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
Interests: vaginal; cesarean section; African American women; infant mortality; race/ethnicity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Michael Enwere

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Global Health Equity Foundation, Bear, DE, USA
Interests: infectious diseases; pediatric chronic diseases; maternal and child health; health disparities; translational research; pediatric metabolic syndrome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent research has highlighted the potential role of infectious pathogens in the development of chronic diseases and malignant neoplasms in children. This Special Issue aims to explore the complex relationships between infectious agents and pediatric cancers, with a particular focus on ependymoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We will examine how the misclassification of pathogens and inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents may contribute to the burden of pediatric cancers. By advancing our understanding of these connections, we hope to facilitate more effective strategies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pediatric malignancies associated with infectious diseases.

Therefore, applying research findings in pediatric infectious diseases to cancer prevention and treatment strategies may help reduce the incidence and mortality of pediatric infectious diseases and associated malignancies at both national and global scales.

Prof. Dr. Laurens Holmes
Guest Editor

Dr. Michael Enwere
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pediatric cancer
  • infectious pathogens
  • malignant neoplasms
  • ependymoma
  • acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  • pathogen misclassification
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • cancer prevention

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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10 pages, 426 KiB  
Article
Validation of a Rapid Host-Protein Score to Discriminate Bacterial from Viral Infections in Hospitalized Febrile Pediatric Patients
by Maria Noni, Eleni Kalogera, Athina Xydia, Georgios Paradeisis, Kalliopi Spyridopoulou, Levantia Zachariadou and Evanthia Botsa
Children 2025, 12(3), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030381 - 19 Mar 2025
Viewed by 367
Abstract
Background: The MeMed BV® BV score is a novel, promising host-protein score, differentiating bacterial from viral infections, that combines the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), interferon gamma-induced protein-10 (IP-10), and C-reactive protein (CRP). The aim of our study [...] Read more.
Background: The MeMed BV® BV score is a novel, promising host-protein score, differentiating bacterial from viral infections, that combines the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), interferon gamma-induced protein-10 (IP-10), and C-reactive protein (CRP). The aim of our study was to determine its diagnostic accuracy in hospitalized febrile children. Methods: A prospective study was performed from December 2023 to April 2024 in two pediatric clinics at “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece. Patients > 3 months old, presenting with fever, clinical suspicion of acute infection, and symptoms onset up to 7 days prior were considered eligible. Patients with cancer, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Tuberculosis (TB), and immunodeficiency were excluded. Two pediatricians reviewed the clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and radiological data and assigned the final diagnosis. The experts were blinded to the BV scores. Results: One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled. The predominant medical condition was respiratory tract infection (59.3% lower, 26.7% upper). Twenty-nine (21.5%) patients were diagnosed with bacterial infections. The BV score demonstrated a sensitivity of 96.2%, specificity of 88.7%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.9% for bacterial infections. Equivocal BV scores were reported in 8.9% of cases and were excluded from calculations. The area under the curve was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.93–0.99). A ROC curve analysis was performed, and the optimal cut-off score was estimated at 60, providing a sensitivity of 93.1%, specificity of 88.7%, and NPV of 97.9%. Conclusions: In our study population, the BV score showed high sensitivity and NPV in bacterial infection diagnosis. Further studies are needed to assess the possibility of replacing the “equivocal” range with a narrower one or a specific cut-off value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Children: Latest Developments and Treatments)
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14 pages, 503 KiB  
Article
Neonatal Outcomes of Mothers with Syphilis During Pregnancy: A Retrospective Single Center Experience
by Danilo Buonsenso, Francesca Raffaelli, Anna Camporesi, Barbara Fiori, Rosalba Ricci, Lucio Romano, Marco De Santis, Giovanni Vento, Carlo Torti, Enrica Tamburrini and Piero Valentini
Children 2025, 12(3), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030307 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 518
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Syphilis during pregnancy can be easily missed with potential severe outcomes of the newborns, including congenital syphilis (CS). We report the neonatal outcomes of a cohort of mothers with syphilis during pregnancy. Methods: a retrospective cohort study in a referral university hospital [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Syphilis during pregnancy can be easily missed with potential severe outcomes of the newborns, including congenital syphilis (CS). We report the neonatal outcomes of a cohort of mothers with syphilis during pregnancy. Methods: a retrospective cohort study in a referral university hospital in Rome, enrolling mother/newborn couples followed up from 2016 to 2023 by a multidisciplinary team including infectious disease specialists, obstetricians, microbiologists, neonatologists and pediatricians. Primary outcome was the assessment of risk factors for development of congenital syphilis (CS) in the newborns. Results: Fifty-three pregnant women (median age 34, IQR 29–37 years) with documented syphilis in pregnancy have been included in this study. 50/52 (96.2%) were treated during pregnancy, and forty of them (80%) received adequate treatment. Fifty-three newborns were born from mothers with syphilis during pregnancy (female 25/48, 52.1%). Four newborns were classified as CS (7.5%), and two newborns as probable CS (3.8%). Newborns with CS were born more frequently from mothers treated inadequately (p 0.02), had higher probability of neonatal intensive care unit admission (p < 0.001), had a higher Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titer (p 0.076), higher ALT (p 0.005). Univariate logistic regression conducted on the development of CS showed an adequate treatment as a protective factor (OR 0.03; 95% CI: 0.002; 0.31; p = 0.002), while later weeks of pregnancy for the beginning of treatment as a risk factor (OR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.02; 1.51; p = 0.026). Conclusions: Syphilis still represents a potential problem for women of childbearing age and their newborns, even in a high-income setting, making congenital syphilis far from being eradicated in Italy. Moreover, adequate and early treatment should be provided to avoid negative consequences to the newborns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Children: Latest Developments and Treatments)
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6 pages, 220 KiB  
Brief Report
Clinical Utility of a Multiplex PCR Panel (BioFire Joint Infection®) in the Adjustment of Empiric Antimicrobial Therapy: Experience in Pediatric Osteoarticular Infections
by Clara Udaondo, Rosa María Alcobendas Rueda, Blanca Diaz-Delgado, Agustin Remesal, Inmaculada Quiles-Melero and Cristina Calvo
Children 2024, 11(10), 1236; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11101236 - 14 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1193
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the PCR multiplex panel (BioFire JI®) on the diagnosis and management of pediatric osteoarticular infections. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from pediatric patients diagnosed with osteoarticular infections between January 2023 and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the PCR multiplex panel (BioFire JI®) on the diagnosis and management of pediatric osteoarticular infections. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from pediatric patients diagnosed with osteoarticular infections between January 2023 and April 2024. The effectiveness of the PCR multiplex panel in identifying pathogens was compared with traditional culture methods. Results: In total, 50 patients were identified (66.6% male, 74% under 3 years of age). They were diagnosed as follows: septic arthritis in 46%, osteomyelitis in 26%, and septic osteoarthritis in 22%. An identifiable agent was isolated by conventional culture in 22 cases (44%). Kingella kingae was the predominant pathogen identified, accounting for 50% of cases (11/22), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (9/22). The BioFire JI® Panel PCR demonstrated a sensitivity of 93%, with a specificity of 63% when evaluated against synovial fluid culture as the reference standard. The panel identified seven additional pathogens not detected by conventional culture methods: 2/9 MSSA (22%), 1/1 S. pyogenes (100%), and 4/11 K. kingae (37%), increasing the yield by 14%. The rapid identification of pathogens facilitated timely and targeted therapeutic interventions. Conclusions: The PCR multiplex panel (BioFire JI®) improved the diagnosis of pediatric osteoarticular infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Children: Latest Developments and Treatments)
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