Epidemiology and clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized children across four waves in Hungary: A retrospective, comparative study from March 2020 to December 2021

Background and AimsFrom 2019 till the present, infections induced by the novel coronavirus and its mutations have posed a new challenge for healthcare. However, comparative studies on pediatric infections throughout waves are few. During four different pandemic waves, we intended to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristic of the pediatric population hospitalized for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infection. MethodsBetween March 2020 and December 2021, we performed our retrospective research on children infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus at the University of Szeged. We analyzed the data of all patients who required hospitalization due to positive results of SARS-CoV-2 tests (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test or rapid antigen test). Data analysis included demographic data, medical history, clinical findings, length of hospitalization, and complications, using medical records. ResultsIn this study, data from 358 coronavirus-infected children were analyzed. The most affected age group was children over 1 month and under 1 year (30.2%). The highest number of cases was recorded in the fourth wave (53.6%). Fever (65.6%), cough (51.4%), nasal discharge (35.3%), nausea and vomiting (31.3%), and decreased oral intake (28.9%) were the most common symptoms. The most common complications were dehydration (50.5%), pneumonia (14.9%), and bronchitis/bronchiolitis (14.5%). Based on RR values, there are considerable differences in the prevalence of the symptoms and complications between the different age groups and waves. Cox proportional hazard model analyzes showed that fever and tachypnoea had a relevant effect on days to recovery. ConclusionsWe found trends similar to those previously published, overall statistics. The proportion of children requiring hospitalization varied from wave to wave, with the fourth wave affecting the Hungarian child population the most. Our findings suggest that hospitalization time is unrelated to age, but that certain symptoms (fever and tachypnoea) are associated with longer hospitalization. The onset of certain symptoms may differ by age group

Tehetséggondozás a magyar gazdasági felsőoktatásban : Fókuszban a Tudományos Diákköri Konferencia és a Közgazdaságtudományi Szekció = Talent management in hungarian economic higher education : the scientific students' associations and the economic science section in focus

A szerzők tanulmányukban többéves kutatómunka eredményeként komplex módon mutatják be a magyar gazdasági felsőoktatásban megvalósuló tehetséggondozást, s ezen belül a tudományos diákköri mozgalom helyzetét. A tanulmány céljai között szerepelt a tudományos diákköri (TDK) konferencia szerepének és történetének bemutatásán túl a TDK országos vezetői, a tehetséggondozásban élen járó egyetemi oktatók, valamint az egyetemi hallgatók helyzetfeltáró véleményének megismerése a mozgalom jelentőségéről és a tehetséggondozásban betöltött szerepéről, az érintettek részvételi motivátorairól. Ezen összetett célrendszer betöltése többféle kutatási módszer bevonásával vált lehetővé. Tanulmányuk eredményeként megállapítható, hogy a TDK, mint a tehetséggondozás egy formája, magában foglalja a belső motiváció erősítését, valamint az anyagi és erkölcsi ösztönzők biztosítását is. Lényeges megállapítás az, hogy az oktatók és hallgatók TDK-mozgalomhoz való viszonyulását összességében az intézményi kultúra erősen befolyásolja. = In addition to presenting the role and history of the Scientific Student’s Associations Conference (TDK), the aim of the study was to identify the opinions of the national leaders of the TDK, university lecturers at the forefront of talent management, and university students on the significance of this association and activity and its role in talent management, as well as the participation motivations of those involved. Achieving this complex target system was facilitated by the application of several research methods. As a result of this study, the authors can conclude that talent management includes the strengthening of internal motivation, as well as the provision of financial and moral incentives. An important finding is that teacher and student attitudes towards the TDK movement are strongly influenced by the institutional culture as a whole

A nyugat-nílusi vírus kimutatása humán betegmintákból: nyomon követéses vizsgálatok a 2015. évi szezonális időszakban | Detection of West Nile virus in human samples: follow-up studies during the 2015 seasonal period

Absztrakt: Bevezetés: A nyugat-nílusi vírus Magyarországon is elterjedt, éves rendszerességgel humán megbetegedéseket okozó, szúnyogok által terjesztett virális zoonosis. Az akut infekciók laboratóriumi differenciáldiagnosztikája szerológiai vizsgálatokon alapul, de a molekuláris módszerek alkalmazhatósága is egyre inkább előtérbe kerül. Célkitűzés: Vizsgálatunk célja a 2015. évi akut fertőzöttek vér-, liquor- és vizeletmintáinak molekuláris vizsgálata volt, illetve a pozitív betegek nyomon követése annak megállapítása érdekében, hogy mennyi ideig detektálható a vírus. Módszer: Az akut fertőzött betegek mintáit indirekt immunfluoreszcens, hemagglutináció-gátlási, majd kétféle PCR-módszerrel vizsgáltuk. A pozitív mintákból a vírustörzseket Sanger-szekvenálással azonosítottuk és vírusizolálást végeztünk. Eredmények: Öt páciens esetén nyílt lehetőség a nyomon követést elvégezni, ennek során a betegek vizeletéből hosszú ideig (a tünetek megjelenésétől számítva akár hetekig) és összehasonlítva más mintatípusokkal, magasabb koncentrációban volt kimutatható a vírus. Következtetések: Akut fertőzések fennállásakor a vizeletminták PCR-vizsgálata járványügyi és diagnosztikai szempontból is hasznos információt szolgáltathat, ezért vizeletminták beküldésével javasoljuk kiegészíteni a szerológiai diagnosztikát. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(20): 791–796. | Abstract: Introduction: West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne viral zoonosis is responsible for human infections in Hungary. Laboratory diagnosis is based on serological tests, however the application of molecular methods has been appreciated. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate blood, cerebrospinal-fluid and urine samples of acutely ill patients and to follow-up PCR positive cases to ascertain the length of virus excretion. Method: Clinical specimens were examined by indirect-immunofluorescent, haemagglutination-inhibition, two PCR tests and Sanger-sequencing. Virus isolation in case of two patients was successful. Results: A follow-up study could be carried out in case of 5 patients. Viral nucleic acid was detectable in urine even for several weeks after symptom onset and viral RNA was present at higher concentration compared with other samples. Conclusions: PCR analysis of urine could provide useful epidemiological and diagnostic information. Therefore, it is recommended to collect urine samples in order to supplement the serological diagnosis. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(20): 791–796

Epidemiology and Clinical Features of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hospitalized Children Across Four Waves in Hungary: A Retrospective, Comparative Study from March 2020 to December 2021

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: From 2019 till the present, infections induced by the novel coronavirus and its mutations have posed a new challenge for healthcare. However, comparative studies on pediatric infections throughout waves are few. During four different pandemic waves, we intended to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristic of the pediatric population hospitalized for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) virus infection. METHODS: Between March 2020 and December 2021, we performed our retrospective research on children infected with the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus at the University of Szeged. We analyzed the data of all patients who required hospitalization due to positive results of SARS‐CoV‐2 tests (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test or rapid antigen test). Data analysis included demographic data, medical history, clinical findings, length of hospitalization, and complications, using medical records. RESULTS: In this study, data from 358 coronavirus‐infected children were analyzed. The most affected age group was children over 1 month and under 1 year (30.2%). The highest number of cases was recorded in the fourth wave (53.6%). Fever (65.6%), cough (51.4%), nasal discharge (35.3%), nausea and vomiting (31.3%), and decreased oral intake (28.9%) were the most common symptoms. The most common complications were dehydration (50.5%), pneumonia (14.9%), and bronchitis/bronchiolitis (14.5%). Based on RR values, there are considerable differences in the prevalence of the symptoms and complications between the different age groups and waves. Cox proportional hazard model analyzes showed that fever and tachypnoea had a relevant effect on days to recovery. CONCLUSIONS: We found trends similar to those previously published, overall statistics. The proportion of children requiring hospitalization varied from wave to wave, with the fourth wave affecting the Hungarian child population the most. Our findings suggest that hospitalization time is unrelated to age, but that certain symptoms (fever and tachypnoea) are associated with longer hospitalization. The onset of certain symptoms may differ by age group

Serologic evidence of West Nile virus infection in patients with exanthema in Hungary

The presence of WNV in Europe has been well known for decades, although the first human infections and avian outbreaks were diagnosed in Hungary only in 2003. An annual average of 6–8 cases of the neuroinvasive form of WNV infection has been detected in the region since then, but a higher number (17) of WNV associated neuroinvasive disease occurred in 2008.In 2004, a surveillance system was established for monitoring WNV-associated meningo-encephalitis cases in Hungary, but a milder type of illness (with fever, rash and/or influenza like symptoms) is not followed. Fifty-two sera of 45 patients with mild clinical symptoms (fever, exanthema) were tested for anti-WNV antibodies in 2008 in a retrospective study by immunofluorescence test and ELISA. Seven patients had antibodies against WNV, serologic evidence of recent WNV infection was found in 4 out of the 7 patients. Infections could be acquired predominantly in August and in September, which seems to be a risk period for WNV in Hungary.The possibility of a recent WNV infection should be taken into consideration in the occurrence of fever and rush at late summer. Differential diagnosis of exanthematous patients should include WNV serology tests and should be done routinely