Objective:To investigate the correlation of the emm genotypes and virulence genes with the isolation sites of Group A Streptococcus (GAS). Methods:It was a retrospective study.The specimens were collected from children with impetigo in Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from 2006 to 2008 for GAS isolation and identification.A total of 24 GAS strains were isolated from 16 children with impetigo, among which 7 pairs of strains were isolated from the throat and skin of 7 children, and 1 pair of strains was isolated from the vulva and skin of one child, and the remaining 8 GAS strains were isolated from the skin pus samples of 8 children.Polymerase chain reaction was applied to detect the emm genotypes and 13 virulence genes ( speA, speB, speC, speF, speG, speH, speI, speJ, speK, speL, speM, smeZ and ssa). The correlation of the emm genotypes and virulence genes with the isolation sites of GAS strains was analyzed. Results:In this study, four emm genotypes were detected, including emm1.0 (15/24), emm12.0 (4/24), emm22.0 (2/24) and emm160.0 (1/24), and one subtype emm12.19 (2/24) was detected as well.The carrying rates of 13 virulence genes speA, speB, speC, speF, speG, speH, speI, speJ, speK, speL, speM, smeZ and ssa were 58.3%, 100%, 91.7%, 100%, 50.0%, 12.5%, 54.2%, 66.7%, 16.7%, 25.0%, 12.5%, 100% and 91.7%, respectively.All strains carried 5 to 11 virulence genes and they all carried speB, speF and smeZ.There were significant differences in the carrying rate of speA and speJ among the strains with different emm genotypes (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the distribution of virulence genes between skin isolates and pharyngeal isolates, including the 5 pairs of strains carrying the emm1.0 genotype (all P>0.05). Conclusions:The distribution of virulence gene of GAS in children with impetigo is significantly correlated with the emm genotype, rather than the isolation site.

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of children with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) confirmed by pathology.Methods:The clinical manifestations, imaging, pathology, treatment and outcome data of 4 children with COP confirmed by thoracoscopic lung biopsy were retrospectively analyzed, who were hospitalized at Respiratory Department of Shenzhen Children′s Hospital from January 2004 to December 2022.Results:All of the 4 patients were male, the age ranged from 1 year 3 months to 14 years. The time from onset to diagnosis was 3 months to 3 years. The follow-up duration was 6 months to 6 years. All the 4 cases had cough, 2 cases had tachypnea and wheezing, 1 case had expectoration, 1 case had chest pain, 1 case had decreased activity tolerance and weight loss. Rales in 2 cases and hypoxemia in 1 case. Pulmonary high resolution CT showed diffuse distribution, involvement of both lungs in 3 cases, and single lung combined migration in 1 case.Three cases showed ground-glass opacity, consolidation, patchy or fibrous strips, and 1 case presented air bronchogram and "reversed halo sign". All the 4 cases were performed thoracoscopic lung biopsy, and the pathological findings showed cellulose exudate or small nodules filled with granulation tissue or fibroblasts in the alveolar cavity and small airways, and 1 case was Masson corpuscle positive. Three patients achieved remission after glucocorticoid therapy. Spontaneous remission without treatment was seen in 1 patient.Two cases were followed up for 17 months and 6 years, respectively, who had excellent outcome.Conclusions:The manifestations of COP in children include cough, expectoration and chest pain. Infants and young children may have tachypnea and wheezing. The most common chest CT findings are diffuse distribution of ground-glass opacity, patchy and consolidation in both lungs. Diagnosis should depend on pathological examination. The effect of glucocorticoid therapy is good.

Since 2022, there has been an increasing trend in the incidence of scarlet fever and deaths due to Group A Streptococcus (GAS) in the UK and some European countries, with the paediatric population particularly affected, a phenomenon that has attracted widespread international attention.The author believes that GAS has not received sufficient attention and that there are significant national differences in early surveillance, treatment strategies, management and control.Here, author present professional insights on the unresolved scientific issues related to GAS infections, with a view to attracting the attention of domestic colleagues and jointly promoting GAS-related research, prevention and control.

The monkeypox epidemic has re-emerged and is at a stage of rapid development in Africa.It is rare that has been designated as a public health emergency of international concern twice in just 2 years since May 2022, which fully demonstrates the urgency of the current monkeypox epidemic.This outbreak is caused by a new monkeypox variant strain Ⅰb.It has a faster transmission rate and may have a higher fatality rate, especially in children.Therefore, medical staff, especially pediatricians, should attach great importance to this strain, do a good job in epidemic surveillance and strengthen vaccine research and development.Nip it in the bud.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are important human pathogens.In recent years, the M1 UK strain has attracted widespread attention in the United Kingdom and other countries because it has been associated with a surge in scarlet fever and an increase in invasive GAS infections.Author conducted a whole-genome sequencing study of 42 GAS strains from 2016 to 2018 in Shenzhen, and found that a GAS strain isolated from a child with scarlet fever in Shenzhen area in 2018 was homologous to M1 UK, which is the first strain of M1 UK confirmed in the mainland of China.For this reason, hereby publish it with a view to attracting the attention of our domestic counterparts and safeguarding public health safety.

Objective:To survey the child health service capacity of community health service institutions in Shenzhen city.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. An online survey was conducted among 559 community health service centers, stations and clinics in Shenzhen from January 23, 2024 to February 3, 2024. The questionnaire contents included the development of child health management, vaccination, diagnosis and treatment of common diseases in children, management of children′s chronic diseases, appropriate technology, availability of children′s special drug dosage forms, provision of special Chinese patent medicine and appropriate technology of traditional Chinese medicine for children, referral and remote consultation in 2019 and 2023. The reasons of unavailable service items were asked in the questionnaire and the questionnaire also contained an open-ended question about the suggestions for improving the capacity of child health services.Results:A total of 559 valid questionnaires were collected, accounting for 64.48% (559/867) of the community health service centers, stations and health clinics in Shenzhen in 2023. Compared to 2019, there was a significant increase in the rate of pediatric health services provided in 2023, including the diagnosis and treatment of common diseases in children under 6 years (96.06%, 537 institutions), nebulized inhalation therapy (96.60%, 540 institutions), influenza and other respiratory pathogen detection (90.70%, 507 institutions), rotavirus and other intestinal pathogen detection (34.53%, 193 institutions), allergen detection (81.75%, 457 institutions), blood oxygen saturation monitoring (84.44%, 472 institutions), pediatric-specific formulations of Western medicine (90.52%, 506 institutions), pediatric-specific formulations of traditional Chinese medicine (89.27%, 499 institutions), appropriate Chinese medicine techniques (88.19%, 493 institutions), relatively fixed referral hospitals (95.17%, 532 institutions), and remote consultation service (19.14%, 107 institutions); and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). The reasons for unavailable service items were lack of space and personnel for the basic public health services, lack of space, personnel and a deficiency in knowledge and technical capabilities for diagnostic tests, and lack of equipment and personnel for remote consultation service. Suggestions made by 394 respondent institutions (70.48%) for further improvement included: conducting and strengthening various training (44.42%, 175/394), consultation and teaching by expert visiting (18.53%, 73/394), increasing the space and equipment (9.39%, 37/394), and further study at higher-level units (98.88%, 35/394). Conclusions:The child health services have been greatly improved in community health service institutions in Shenzhen, but there are still rooms for further improvement such as the ability of child health management, vaccination, chronic disease managements and provision of remote consultation.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) epidemic have been proven to be effective in blocking the spread of the epidemic.While reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, NPIs also reduce children exposure to other pathogens, leading to a decline in the incidence of many viral and bacterial infections.The reduction in contact with viruses and bacteria and the delay or interruption of routine immunization during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic have resulted in insufficient immune stimulation of pathogens on the population, leading to an increase in susceptible populations and a decline in herd immunity, forming the immune debt during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic.After reducing or lifting NPIs, the incidence of some viral or bacterial infectious diseases was significantly higher than pre-epidemic.In this review, the definition, source, impact and strategies of immune debt during epidemic period were expounded, inorder to improve clinicians′ attention and understanding of immune debt and optimize the prevention of children′s infectious diseases.

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is a subtype of acute encephalopathy presented with disturbance of consciousness and symmetric bilateral thalamic necrosis in neuroradiology.Patients with ANE had a high mortality or severe neurological sequela.ANE usually secondary to virus infectious disease, in which influenza is a common etiology.During the 3 years of the worldwide pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection, ANE has become a severe complication and cause of death in children, which has aroused much concern.Here is a review of the research progress of epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatments and prognosis of ANE, in order to improve the knowledge of clinicians on this disease.

Recently, there have been outbreaks of Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection in foreign countries.The reasons are varied.With the relaxation of control for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) infection, it is very likely that concurrent or secondary GAS infection peaks will occur at the same time as the number of Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) cases increases dramatically.Children are generally susceptible to GAS and are more vulnerable.In response to possible outbreaks, early identification of GAS infections and rational use of antibiotics are particularly important.

China has classified the Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) as a statutory category B infectious disease and managed it according to Category B since January 8, 2023.In view that Omicron variant is currently the main epidemic strain in China, in order to guide the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) infection in children with the times, refer to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Infection (Trial 10 th Edition), Expert Consensus on Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection in Children (Fourth Edition) and the Diagnosis and Treatment Strategy for Pediatric Related Viral Infections.The Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection in Children (Fifth Edition) has been formulated and updated accordingly on related etiology, epidemiology, pathogenic mechanism, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examination, diagnosis and treatment, and added key points for the treatment of COVID-19 related encephalopathy, fulminating myocarditis and other serious complications for clinical reference.