title: Invasive pneumococcal infection in children.
abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae infections can involve multiple organs and cause high mortality and morbidity. In this retrospective study, we reviewed patients with invasive pneumococcal infection in the pediatric department of a teaching hospital in Taipei. From 1984 to 1998, 81 children with invasive pneumococcal infection were hospitalized. Twenty-eight patients had meningitis, 27 had pneumonia with pleural effusion, 60 had sepsis, and 4 had arthritis. Thirty-eight patients had more than one site of infection. Most of our patients (81.7%) were below 5 years of age. Pneumococcal infections were more common from October to March. Eight patients had a history of trauma that correlated with the site of infection. Thirteen patients (16.0%) expired and 20 (24.7%) had severe sequelae. Multi-regression analysis found that meningitis and complications were independent variables that affected the outcome. The percentage of penicillin-resistant strains increased beginning in 1990 and accounted for about four-fifths of the infections in the final 2 years of the study. Since invasive pneumococcal infections in children may have a poor prognosis and penicillin-resistant strains have become increasingly common, early and adequate antibiotic therapy should be given as soon as possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. ncc88@ms2.mmh.org.tw
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: F Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012621:Seasons; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins