LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Infections Identified in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 21 Mar 2019
Print article
Image: A scanning electron micrograph (SEM) showing long sickle cell in front of more disc-shaped normal red cell (Photo courtesy of the Wellcome Trust).
Image: A scanning electron micrograph (SEM) showing long sickle cell in front of more disc-shaped normal red cell (Photo courtesy of the Wellcome Trust).
Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disorder of autosomal recessive inheritance that is characterized by sickle-shaped red blood cells. It is the most common type of hemoglobinopathy and is the result of a mutation in the β-globin chain gene that results in creating sickle hemoglobin (HbS) instead of the normal adult hemoglobin (HbA).

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at increased risk for invasive infection with encapsulated bacteria. Antibiotic prophylaxis and immunizations against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) have decreased the overall incidence of invasive infections and have shifted distribution of serotypes causing disease toward those not covered by immunizations.

Scientists at Emory University (Atlanta, GA, USA) and their colleagues reviewed a large pediatric tertiary care center to identify all isolates of H. influenzae detected in sterile body fluid cultures from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2017. The results were compared with the center's comprehensive clinical database of all children with SCD to identify all cases of children ages 0 to18 years with SCD with invasive H. influenzae disease for the same time period.

The team found 2,444 patients with SCD, with 14,336 person-years. There were eight episodes of H. influenzae bacteremia in seven children with SCD (five type f, two non-typable, one type a). Most episodes (7/8) were in children younger than five years. The incidence rate of invasive H. influenzae in SCD was 0.58/1,000 person-years for ages 0 to 18 years and 1.60/1,000 person-years for children age less than five years. There were no deaths from H. influenzae infection.

The authors concluded that in the era of universal antibiotic prophylaxis and immunization against Hib, invasive H. influenzae disease due to non-vaccine serotypes remains a risk for children with SCD, particularly those under five years of age. The study was published on February 5, 2019, in the journal Pediatric Blood & Cancer.

Related Links:
Emory University

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Magnetic Bead Separation Modules
MAG and HEATMAG
POCT Fluorescent Immunoassay Analyzer
FIA Go
New
Gold Member
Fully Automated Cell Density/Viability Analyzer
BioProfile FAST CDV

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)

3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models

Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)

Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns

Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The AI predictive model identifies the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in immunotherapies (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

AI Predicts Tumor-Killing Cells with High Accuracy

Cellular immunotherapy involves extracting immune cells from a patient's tumor, potentially enhancing their cancer-fighting capabilities through engineering, and then expanding and reintroducing them into the body.... Read more