In the article, we characterize clinical manifestations of varicella-zoster infection in children. The observation of complications of acute period and period of late reconvalescence of chicken-pox is given. We give description of possible factors, which lead to complicated case of acute varicella zoster infection and further virus persistence with neurological damage.

Objective: to identify the clinical and epidemiological features of enteroviral meningitis (EVM) in children during the seasonal rise in incidence in 2023.

Materials and methods: a retrospective analysis of 171 medical histories of children aged 1 month to 17 years, hospitalized in the infectious diseases hospital of the RSBHI «KICCH № 1» from June to October 2023, is presented.

Results. The bulk of patients, 77.9 ± 3.2% (133/171), were hospitalized between August and October, which indicates the persistence of the summer-autumn seasonality of incidence. The clinical picture of EVM is characterized by acute development, persistent fever, intoxication, against which headache and repeated vomiting appear, indicating the development of hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome. Dissociation of meningeal signs requires liquorological studies to confirm the diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis. Clinical recovery at the time of discharge occurred only in 64.3 ± 3.7% of convalescents; in the remaining children, 35.7 ± ± 3.7% (61/171) residual effects persisted, which required continued observation.

Purpose of the work: to conduct a clinical-epidemiological analysis of intestinal infections in a pediatric infectious diseases hospital and the effectiveness of the PEWS scale.

Materials and methods: a retrospective study was conducted at the Moscow City Clinical Hospital «Communarka» and City Clinical Hospital No. 1 in the pediatric infectious disease departments from June 1, 2023, to August 31, 2023. Laboratory, clinical, and anamnestic data were obtained from the medical information system «EMIAS» and the laboratory information system (LIS) «ALISA». The study analyzed 838 medical records of children with acute respiratory infections.

Results: when conducting a statistical analysis of indicators in two groups (group 1 — PEWS ≥ 3 points, recorded at least once during the entire period of hospitalization, group 2 — PEWS from 1 to 2 points, recorded at least once during hospitalization period) no significant differences were observed in terms of etiology, age, day of illness, blood test results, and length of hospital stay. All patients had a moderate form of acute respiratory infection, however, patients with PEWS ≥ 3 points required increased attention from medical staff and had a higher risk of deterioration without additional medical intervention, with the most significant risk in predicting deterioration being related to changes in the cardiovascular system. All children were discharged home in satisfactory condition with PEWS = 0.

Conclusion: In our conducted research, for the first time in the Russian Federation, the experience of using the PEWS scale in pediatric practice for patients with gastrointestinal infections was applied with the aim of early detection of the risk of clinical deterioration. It can be assumed that the most significant risk in predicting deterioration in the condition of a child with acute gastrointestinal infection, as well as with acute respiratory infection, is predominantly due to disturbances in the cardiovascular system.

The results of morphological and clinical-functional studies of the central and peripheral departments of the sympathoadrenal systems of premature newborns are presented. According to the morphometry of deceased newborns, along with pronounced immaturity, a stably reduced number of neurocytes of the cervical-thoracic (stellate) ganglia of the sympathetic chain of premature infants was found, which can limit the level of their motor activity for a long time. Low activity of sub-cortical sympathoadrenal systems, due to antenatal inhibition under the influence of a number of factors, may be the cause of the syndrome of general depression of the central nervous system in premature infants.

Assessment of the effect of vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae on the serotype spectrum of pneumococcus.

Materials and methods. Bacteriological study of nasopharyngeal mucus of 247 healthy children attending kindergarten, as well as serotyping of the obtained samples. The specific immune response to various serotypes of S. pneumoniae was determined by ELISA.

Results. A bacteriological study of nasopharyngeal mucus from 247 healthy children attending kindergarten showed that S. pneumoniae was isolated from 35.6% (20) of practically healthy children. When serotyping the isolated samples, the most common pneumococcal serotypes were 15A/F, 6 A/B, 9 A /V and 9 F, then in frequency 5 and 7 A/F, 23F serotypes. A study of specific antibodies to pneumococcus in vaccinated children showed a high level of immune response. Thus, it was found that vaccination with commercial pneumococcal vaccines protects the majority of vaccinated children. To assess the effectiveness of vaccination, it is necessary to study the circulation of serotypes in children after vaccination.

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection is one of the most common TORCH infections, characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations, predominantly with multiple organ lesions and often a disabling course. The result of antenatal infection with cytomegalovirus is a high incidence of congenital malformations, often accompanied by disorders such as hearing loss, vision loss, motor and cognitive deficits. Despite the presence of modern domestic clinical recommendations, the study of this pathology remains relevant to the present day. Recently, significant progress has been made in the study of this disease. Every year, new research is conducted on topical issues of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for congenital cytomegalovirus infection. This article provides a review of modern literature, covering the latest data on the molecular basis of pathogenesis, features of clinical manifestations, current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

The article presents a case of early neonatal sepsis in a premature neonate caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae with the development of purulent meningitis, describes the diagnostic possibilities and features of treatment, as well as the outcome of this condition in the child. In the presented case the rapid increase of symptoms of meningo-encephalitis, slow sanation of liquor, despite the adequacy of the conducted therapy, attracts attention.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pn.), which is a well-known pathogen to cause atypical pneumonia, in 25% of cases can lead to a wide range of extra-pulmonary symptoms, reflecting damage to almost any organ or organ system (skin and mucous membranes, nervous, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, urinary system etc.). Aspecific syndrome Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis (MIRM) has been identified recently. Among the CNS manifestations associated with M. pn., acute postinfectious cerebellar ataxia is worth mentioning. In this article we present clinical cases of a 14-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl with extrapulmonary manifestations of M. pn. infection. This article considers etiological, pathogenetic and clinical features of mycoplasma infection in children with an emphasis on extra-respiratory manifestations.

Whooping cough does not lose its high importance in infectology. The combination of whooping cough with various viral infections can determine the nature of the disease and the development of complications. Of particular interest in modern conditions are the associations of whooping cough with viral agents, the significance of which has increased due to improved diagnostics in recent years. A clinical case of severe whooping cough in association with COVID-19 and rhinovirus infection in a child aged 1 month is presented. The clinical and laboratory dynamics of the disease and the features of pharmacological therapy are shown.

We represent a rare clinical case of infectious mononucleosis with hepatitis, caused by Epstein-Barr virus, complicated by rare secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with warm agglutinins in a 16-year-old patient. The disease was long-lasting, with a two-wave course of febrile fever. Signs of hepatitis with the development of anemia of moderate severity appeared during the second wave of febrile fever. The etiology of the disease was confirmed by the detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in blood and the detection of anti-VCA IgM antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in the absence of anti-EBNA IgG antibodies. Hemolytic anemia was verified using markers of hemolysis (increased lactate dehydrogenase activity, decreased haptoglobin concentration), and positive results of a direct Coombs test. After successful initiation of prednisone therapy and clinical improvement, the patient was discharged from the hospital on the 24th day of disease to continue treatment on an outpatient basis (prednisone was replaced by methylprednisolone).

This case demonstrates the development of a rare autoimmune complication in infectious mononucleosis caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.

Congenital syphilis results from vertical transmission of Treponema pallidum to the fetus from an infected mother who was not treated before 32 weeks of gestation. Thanks to the development of obstetric and gynecological services, incidence rates of congenital syphilis are decreasing annually, even against the background of an increase in cases of acquired syphilis among the adult population. Depending on the time of manifestation, early (onset before 2 years) and late (onset after 2 years) congenital syphilis are distinguished. The clinical picture of both congenital and acquired syphilis has wide variability and requires careful differential diagnosis with other diseases of infectious and non-infectious nature. The relatively rare frequency of occurrence and the polymorphism of clinical manifestations reduce the alertness of clinicians regarding this disease. Diagnosis is not difficult provided that a correct history is taken and direct (identification of the pathogen itself) and indirect (serological reactions) laboratory tests are carried out. However, the erased course with a small number of clinical manifestations may delay the early detection of the disease. Syphilitic infection in both mother and child is traditionally treated with beta-lactam antibiotics. The prognosis for life and health is individual in each case and depends on concomitant conditions. This article presents a clinical case of early congenital syphilis in a child whose mother was not observed in the antenatal clinic during pregnancy and was infected with Treponema pallidum in the II—III trimesters. Attention is focused on the importance of a thorough history taking even in the presence of non-specific symptoms.

The article presents a clinical case of a family outbreak of mumps that fell ill at the same time (there are 8 children in the family, the first child, 17 years old, vaccinated, did not get sick, the eighth was 3 months old, healthy), four out of six cases were complicated by serous meningitis. Mumps infection is characterized by a high susceptibility of non-immune individuals, with the accumulation of which massive foci form in organized groups, which gives the incidence of mumps an outbreak character.