Journal of Infection in Developing Countries最新文献

{"title":"A humanized anti-Toll like receptor 4 antibody Fab fragment inhibits pro-inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide through TLR4 in vitro and in vivo.","authors":"Wenkai Zheng, Fang Xie, Shuping Si, Xi Xiong, Jing Xu, Chuanxia Yao, Cong Li, Jin Zhu, Ping Li, Binggang Cai, Maorong Wang","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20194","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.20194","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its co-receptor MD-2 recognize bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), initiating responses to infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. TLR4 also plays a role in various pathological processes, including viral infections and sterile inflammation. However, effective methods to inhibit LPS/TLR4-mediated inflammation remain elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of a constructed hTLR4-Fab on LPS-induced inflammation in both in vitro and in vivo settings.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>In vitro, mouse dendritic cells (DCs), human macrophages, and human DCs were incubated with hTLR4-Fab and then stimulated with LPS. In vivo, mice were pre-treated with a humanized anti-TLR4 antibody Fab prior to LPS injection. We examined the activation of various signaling pathways to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of LPS-induced inflammation by hTLR4-Fab.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We observed that the binding affinity of hTLR4-Fab to TLR4 on mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) was approximately 81.8%, while the binding affinity to human blood monocyte-derived macrophages and DCs exceeded 90%. Pretreatment with hTLR4-Fab significantly reduced both mRNA and protein levels of LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines. In vivo, a significant suppression of serum cytokine expression was driven by hTLR4-Fab treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results demonstrated that the antibody Fab could impede the phosphorylation of downstream components, including the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3), all of which are activated by TLR4. Consequently, our study demonstrates that our hTLR4-Fab is effective in mitigating LPS-induced inflammation, both in vitro and in vivo.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"913-923"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal patterns and prevalence of respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in Wuhan, China.","authors":"Zegang Wu, Chenglin Ye, Guolei Wang, Jun'e Ma, Li Yuan, Xuan Xiao, Chengliang Zhu","doi":"10.3855/jidc.19373","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.19373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is the major cause of disease and death in children. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of common pathogens causing ARI in children aged 6 years or younger in Wuhan and the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the detection rate of these pathogens.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Between March 2019 and January 2023, throat swab specimens were collected from 12,743 hospitalized children with ARI symptoms. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis was performed to detect nucleic acids of 12 respiratory pathogens. Then, we analyzed the seasonal epidemic and mixed infection patterns of various pathogens and assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the detection rate of these pathogens.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 12,743 samples collected, 6,200 cases (48.65%) were positive for at least one pathogen. Human rhinoviruses (HRV) had the highest detection rate (2,475 cases, 19.42%). HRV was prevalent mainly in spring and autumn. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was mainly popular in fall and winter. The detection rates of respiratory pathogens were significantly lower than average during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.01). Children aged 1-3 years were found to be more susceptible to ARI. Among the positive cases, 405 cases (3.18%) had co-infection with two or more pathogens.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study presents important findings on the epidemic seasonality and mixed infection patterns of common respiratory pathogens in children aged 6 years or younger with ARI in Wuhan and found that the COVID-19 pandemic had altered the epidemiology of ARI in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"825-832"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in severe community-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia.","authors":"Lei Jiang, Lin Zhou, Shicong Huang, Zhi Ao, Xiaoli Han","doi":"10.3855/jidc.19761","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.19761","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Globally, Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a significant nosocomial pathogen. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by A. baumannii is rare, but often associated with severe outcomes.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 48-year-old man was admitted to a local hospital, presenting a 14-hour history of acute fever, cough, expectoration, chest pain, and dyspnea. Owing to the development of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and septic shock, the patient was promptly transferred to our institution for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) following intubation and mechanical ventilation. Sputum culture, digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) assay of blood, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) assay of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) all indicated A. baumannii. The patient responded favorably to treatment with meropenem and tigecycline. The amelioration of his respiratory function allowed for the cessation of ECMO after 7 days; and subsequently, the patient was successfully weaned from ventilatory support.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A. baumannii should be considered as a possible causative organism of CAP based on presentation in the tropical or subtropical wet season, a very aggressive clinical course, typical chest imaging features, and the presence of A. baumannii in sputum. ECMO represents an efficacious treatment alternative for severe ARDS and septic shock complications associated with A. baumannii when conventional mechanical ventilation proves inadequate, particularly when initiated early in the clinical course.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"971-976"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of nucleic acid extraction-free one-step real-time RT-PCR for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.","authors":"Arbind Kumar, Arun Kumar, Yogendra Padwad, Shaifali Sharma, Sanjay Kumar","doi":"10.3855/jidc.18079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.18079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The aim of this study is to develop a one-step real-time PCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The study was designed to circumvent the routine RNA isolation step and to optimize a lysis buffer and parameters for direct quantitative PCR.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A lysis solution was prepared using Tween-20, Triton X-100, EDTA, and Tris buffer (pH 7.4). Various parameters including the use of detergent combinations, V/V ratios and usage of carrier molecules were standardized to achieve the optimal amplification curve and Ct values of SARS-CoV-2 gene for improving the routine diagnostics procedures.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Adding carrier molecules [Poly(A), glycogen, and linear polyacrylamide] to the lysis solution significantly improved real-time reverse-transcription PCR (rtRT-PCR) efficacy. Poly(A) was the most effective of all carriers. The diagnostic potential of this Poly(A) solution was demonstrated using 150 patient swabs infected with SARS-CoV-2 and 200 uninfected swab samples, and the sensitivity of the rtRT-PCR diagnostic test was estimated to be 98.6 (95% CI: 96.0, 101.17, p < 0.001) for group 1; Ct ≤ 25 and 87.2 (95% CI: 80.2, 94.0, p < 0.001) for group 2; Ct ≥ 26-30, with excellent accuracy (0.9 < AUC < 1.0), and 100% specificity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our finding imply that this strategy is feasible, and it may contribute to the development of a rapid, less laborious, and economical rtRT-PCR test for dealing with the SARS-COV-2 disease in the pandemic area.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"833-842"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy and safety of nitazoxanide based quadruple regimen as first line therapy for treating Helicobacter pylori infected naïve patients.","authors":"Amro M Hassan, Muhammad Abdel-Gawad, Maie M Mahmoud, Emad Abdelrazzak, Safwat S Sawy, Mohamed A Sayed, Rasha Maree O Ali, Waleed S El-Nasser, Mohamed Ahmad Younes Hussein, Mohamed Ramadan Izzaldin, Mohammed F Mohammed","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20505","DOIUrl":"10.3855/jidc.20505","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Eradication of H. pylori is a challenging issue in many parts of the world including Egypt.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate the safety and efficacy of adding nitazoxanide as an adjuvant drug to the standard clarithromycin-based regimen, a single-center phase 4 prospective superiority parallel open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Two hundred naïve H. pylori-positive patients were randomly distributed into 4 groups in ratio 1:1:1:1; Group 1: 50 patients were treated by clarithromycin 500mg bid, amoxicillin1gm bid, omeprazole 20 mg, Group 2: 50 patients were treated by clarithromycin 500mg bid, metronidazole 500mg bid, omeprazole 20 mg bid, group 3: 50 patients were treated by clarithromycin 500mg bid, nitazoxanide 500mg bid, omeprazole 20 mg bid, and group 4: 50 patients were treated by clarithromycin 500mg bid, amoxicillin1gm bid, nitazoxanide 500mg bid, omeprazole 20 mg bid. All patients were treated for 14 days and assessed 4 weeks after treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Adding nitazoxanide to standard clarithromycin based triple therapy achieved a high eradication rate of 84% in intention to treat analysis (ITT), and 89.36% in per protocol (PP) analysis with high significant p (0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>adding nitazoxanide as an adjuvant drug to the standard clarithromycin-based regimen is effective and could be used as a first line regimen in the eradication of H. pylori.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"843-849"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A report on healthcare-associated Myroides odoratimimus outbreak. Is the urine bottle guilty?","authors":"Taliha Karakök, Zekiye Bakkaloğlu, Hüsniye Şimşek, Yasemin Numanoğlu Çevik, Elif Beyaz","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.20190","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The aim of this study was to report a 9-case Myroides odoratimimus outbreak in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a secondary care hospital.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>The hospital laboratory recorded several consecutive detections of Myroides spp. in urine samples in March 2023. Consequently, an outbreak investigation was initiated. Epidemiological data of each patient was collected to identify the cause of the outbreak.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All patients were followed up in the ICU and all growths were found to be in urinary catheters. None of the patients had clinical symptoms of urinary tract infection. Outbreak investigation revealed that urine bottles, which should be separate for each ICU patient, were in fact used for all patients. Environmental sampling of surfaces was not performed. No clustering was observed in terms of patients regarding follow-up doctors and staff. There was no mortality among these patients during the outbreak. All strains identified as Myroides spp. in the hospital laboratory were identified as Myroides odoratimimus with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed that there were 3 PFGE groups. The clustering rate was 88.8%. When the similarity ratio between PFGE profiles was > 85, one of the 9 strains showed a unique profile; while the remaining 8 strains were classified into 2 epidemiologically related groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Myroides spp. represents a new threat with a broad antimicrobial resistance profile, and the potential to cause epidemics across a wide clinical spectrum from colonization to lethal infection, particularly in ICU patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"990-996"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the potential impact of empiric antibiotic de-escalation for suspected early onset neonatal sepsis.","authors":"Nazedah Ain Ibrahim, Mohd Makmor Bakry, Shareena Ishak, Nurul Ain Mohd Tahir, Noraida Mohamed Shah","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20654","DOIUrl":"10.3855/jidc.20654","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The aim of this study was to explore the impact of empiric antibiotic de-escalation for suspected early onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) on clinical and economic outcomes. This was a multicenter prospective cohort study. Newborns were recruited from 3 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Klang Valley, Malaysia.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>All newborns in the NICU, and prescribed with empiric antibiotics within 72 hours for EONS over 4 months were included. Data on newborns' characteristics, clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness in 7 days, and mortality in 28 days were recorded. Antibiotic usage was divided into de-escalation and non-de-escalation groups, with 1:1 data matching for gestational age (weeks) and birth weight (± 0.1 kg). Time to treatment success, 28-days all-cause mortality, and cost-effectiveness were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 687 newborns were included. Data matching was conducted for grouping into de-escalation and non-de-escalation groups (n = 262 per group) for comparative analysis. There was no significant difference in the treatment failure rate (p = 0.742) and all-cause mortality in 28-days of life (p = 0.052) between the groups. However, a significant difference in terms of time to treatment success (median 3 days in the de-escalation group vs. 5 days in the non-de-escalation group; p < 0.001)) was observed. Cost-effectiveness analysis showed cost-saving of USD 47.80 per newborn per day for the de-escalation group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Early empiric antibiotic de-escalation should be considered in all newborns with a low risk of EONS. This practice did not increase the treatment failure rate and provided a beneficial outcome.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"896-903"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Giardia lamblia infection induces changes in the biochemical profile of gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus).","authors":"Frederico F Gil, Gabriel Moreira de M Mendes, Marcia C Aquino Teixeira, Dirce R Oliveira, Ruth E Cruz, Joseph F G Santos, Maria Aparecida Gomes","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20693","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.20693","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Giardia lamblia is a global parasite that infects both humans and animals. However, its pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Infected children, in particular, may exhibit deficits in physical and cognitive development. To better comprehend the metabolic changes associated with the disease, this study investigated the biochemical profile of gerbils experimentally infected with the Portland strain of G. lamblia.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Sixteen gerbils, equally divided by sex, were included in the experiment for 35 days, with blood samples collected every 7 days.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>blood glucose and insulin levels increased on the 21st day post-infection (DPI), suggesting persistent inflammation and increased insulin resistance. Additionally, there was a progressive decrease in total protein with a paradoxical increase in albumin, indicating a state of anabolism in response to infection. Alkaline phosphatase, AST, and ALT levels remained unchanged, suggesting that liver function was not affected by the infection. Cortisol levels increased from the 7th DPI onwards, while calcium, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels began to increase from the 21st DPI onwards.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings confirm the systemic inflammatory state induced by giardiasis and highlight significant metabolic alterations in experimentally infected animals. Further research is warranted to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these metabolic disturbances.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"962-970"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Attitudes on antibiotic prescription and antimicrobial resistance awareness: a cross-sectional study among Albanian dentists.","authors":"Nilena Eriksen, Kleva Shpati, Lumturi Mërkuri, Dritan Shpati, Leidon Shapo","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.20858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928 revolutionized the treatment of infections, including those in dentistry. Nowadays, dentists are the second most common prescribers of antibiotics worldwide. However, inappropriate use has led to increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is a growing global health issue. The World Health Organization has highlighted the impact of AMR on treatment efficacy, morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the misuse of antibiotics further exacerbated resistance, as unnecessary prescriptions and extended regimens diminished their effectiveness. Across Europe, excessive antibiotic use that is not aligned with guidelines has become common. Therefore, careful consideration is needed before prescribing antibiotics to minimize resistance risks.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Our study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotic use and AMR among Albanian dentists. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among dentists in private clinics, academic staff, and dental students enrolled in specialization schools from November 2023 to April 2024.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study found high antibiotic prescription rates, often exceeding guidelines, with a significant proportion of dentists prescribing antibiotics every week. Common issues included overuse and inappropriate dosages, contributing to antibiotic resistance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings underline the need for improved AMR awareness and adherence to guidelines among Albanian dentists, emphasizing the necessity for updated education and better stewardship practices to combat antibiotic resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 6","pages":"861-869"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retrospective study: China's pediatric hospital infections before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Xue Wang, Min Shi","doi":"10.3855/jidc.20672","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.20672","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic probably influenced the incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in pediatric hospitals. This study aimed to assess HAIs and the impact of multidrug-resistant organisms in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) before and during the pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>This retrospective study was conducted at the Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 2017 to December 2022, covering various ICU units. Statistical analyses compared HAI rates, including Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), and the prevalence of multidrug-resistant pathogens.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Child hospital admissions were analyzed, with 185,116 admissions pre-pandemic and 218,681 during the pandemic. The average length of stay (LOS) increased across ICU units. Overall, the HAI rates declined from 2.7 to 1.79 (p < 0.01) with NICU rates decreasing from 2.93 to 2.07 (p < 0.01) and SICU rates from 7.17 to 4.56 (p < 0.01) except for general ICUs. VAP rates declined in the general ICU and NICU, while the rates in the SICU remained statistically unchanged. The CLABSI and CAUTI rates remained stable across all ICUs. The total count of multidrug-resistant bacteria increased by 41 instances with significant increases in gram-negative bacteria, particularly CRPA (13%) and CRAB (3%), while MRSA decreased by 12%. CRE strains decreased by 10 counts in the NICUs, while CRAB increased by 12 in the general ICUs and by 8 in the SICUs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study reveals a significant HAI decline in pediatric hospitals during the pandemic, suggesting implications for pediatric ICU infection control.</p>","PeriodicalId":49160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","volume":"19 5","pages":"669-676"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144200600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}