24 research outputs found
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease is rare in children: An update from Saudi Arabia
AIM: To summarize the reported Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases, the associated clinical presentations and the outcomes.
METHODS: We searched the Saudi Ministry of Health website, the World Health Organization website, and the Flutracker website. We also searched MEDLINE and PubMed for the keywords: Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus, MERS-CoV in combination with pediatric, children, childhood, infancy and pregnancy from the initial discovery of the virus in 2012 to 2016. The retrieved articles were also read to further find other articles. Relevant data were placed into an excel sheet and analyzed accordingly. Descriptive analytic statistics were used in the final analysis as deemed necessary.
RESULTS: From June 2012 to April 19, 2016, there were a total of 31 pediatric MERS-CoV cases. Of these cases 13 (42%) were asymptomatic and the male to female ratio was 1.7:1. The mean age of patients was 9.8 ± 5.4 years. Twenty-five (80.6%) of the cases were reported from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The most common source of infection was household contact (10 of 15 with reported source) and 5 patients acquired infection within a health care facility. Using real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of pediatric patients revealed that 9 out of 552 (1.6%) was positive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
CONCLUSION: Utilizing serology for MERS-CoV infection in Jordan and Saudi Arabia did not reveal any positive patients. Thus, the number of the pediatric MERS-CoV is low; the exact reason for the low prevalence of the disease in children is not known
Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency Not Responding to Pyridoxine and Bromocriptine Therapy: Case Report and Review of Response to Treatment
Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency (MIM #608643) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of monoamines. It is caused by a mutation in the DDC gene that leads to a deficiency in the AADC enzyme. The clinical features of this condition include a combination of dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin deficiencies, and a patient may present with hypotonia, oculogyric crises, sweating, hypersalivation, autonomic dysfunction, and progressive encephalopathy with severe developmental delay. We report the case of an 8-month-old boy who presented with the abovementioned symptoms and who was diagnosed with AADC deficiency based on clinical, biochemical, and molecular investigations. Treatment with bromocriptine and pyridoxine showed no improvement. These data support the findings observed among previously reported cohorts that showed poor response of this disease to current regimens. Alternative therapies are needed to ameliorate the clinical complications associated with this disorder
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease is rare in children: An update from Saudi Arabia
AIM: To summarize the reported Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases, the associated clinical presentations and the outcomes.
METHODS: We searched the Saudi Ministry of Health website, the World Health Organization website, and the Flutracker website. We also searched MEDLINE and PubMed for the keywords: Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus, MERS-CoV in combination with pediatric, children, childhood, infancy and pregnancy from the initial discovery of the virus in 2012 to 2016. The retrieved articles were also read to further find other articles. Relevant data were placed into an excel sheet and analyzed accordingly. Descriptive analytic statistics were used in the final analysis as deemed necessary.
RESULTS: From June 2012 to April 19, 2016, there were a total of 31 pediatric MERS-CoV cases. Of these cases 13 (42%) were asymptomatic and the male to female ratio was 1.7:1. The mean age of patients was 9.8 ± 5.4 years. Twenty-five (80.6%) of the cases were reported from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The most common source of infection was household contact (10 of 15 with reported source) and 5 patients acquired infection within a health care facility. Using real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of pediatric patients revealed that 9 out of 552 (1.6%) was positive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
CONCLUSION: Utilizing serology for MERS-CoV infection in Jordan and Saudi Arabia did not reveal any positive patients. Thus, the number of the pediatric MERS-CoV is low; the exact reason for the low prevalence of the disease in children is not known
Assessment of Hydroxyapatite Nanospheres Incorporated Dentin Adhesive. A SEM/EDX, Micro-Raman, Microtensile and Micro-Indentation Study
Hydroxyapatite (HA) delivery with resin adhesives has potential for re-mineralization of resin–dentin interface. The study prepared an adhesive containing HA and confirmed its presence in adhesive and interaction with the dentin using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. The aim was to assess the influence of HA incorporation in dentin adhesive on its microtensile bond strength (μ-tbs) and Knoop microhardness (KHN). Thirty teeth each were bonded with CA and HA adhesive using a 10-s smear and photo-polymerized. The specimens in each adhesive group (CA and HA) were divided into sub-groups of 24 h, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks (n = 10) aging durations. μ-tbs was assessed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/minute and bonded interface was analyzed using SEM (n = 20) and Raman spectroscopy (n = 10). Softening of HA adhesive and CA was assessed using KHN. HA adhesive presented higher μ-tbs compared to CA. With an increase in storage time, HA adhesive presented with 100% adhesive failure. Softening was less and KHN was higher for HA adhesive compared to CA (p < 0.05). KHN reduction was higher in CA [19.6 (5.1)%] compared to the HA adhesives [9.7 (4.5)%]. HA adhesive showed superior μTBS and microhardness compared to CA. In the absence of nanoleakage, HA modified adhesive exhibited enhanced bond integrity and better durability of resin dentin bond compared to control adhesive
Influence of Hydroxyapatite Nanospheres in Dentin Adhesive on the Dentin Bond Integrity and Degree of Conversion: A Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman, Fourier Transform-Infrared (FTIR), and Microtensile Study
An experimental adhesive incorporated with different nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) particle concentrations was synthesized and analyzed for dentin interaction, micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS), and degree of conversion (DC). n-HA powder (5 wt % and 10 wt %) were added in adhesive to yield three groups; gp-1: control experimental adhesive (CEA, 0 wt % HA), gp-2: 5 wt % n-HA (HAA-5%), and gp-3: 10 wt % n-HA (HAA-10%). The morphology of n-HA spheres was evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Their interaction in the adhesives was identified with SEM, Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. Teeth were sectioned, divided in study groups, and assessed for μTBS and failure mode. Employing Fourier Transform-Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the DC of the adhesives was assessed. EDX mapping revealed the occurrence of oxygen, calcium, and phosphorus in the HAA-5% and HAA-10% groups. HAA-5% had the greatest μTBS values followed by HAA-10%. The presence of apatite was shown by FTIR spectra and Micro-Raman demonstrated phosphate and carbonate groups for n-HA spheres. The highest DC was observed for the CEA group followed by HAA-5%. n-HA spheres exhibited dentin interaction and formed a hybrid layer with resin tags. HAA-5% demonstrated superior μTBS compared with HAA-10% and control adhesive. The DC for HAA-5% was comparable to control adhesive