background and objectives: hydrocortisone is widely used in septic shock cases resistant to fluid and vasopressor therapy. it may result in increased blood pressure and survival. however the efficacy is no established among patients with severe burn and septic shock. accordingly it was assessed in this study. materials and methods: the patients older than 14 years of age with resistant septic s...

Neisseria meningitidis is remarkable for the diversity of interactions that the bacterium has with the human host, ranging from asymptomatic nasopharyngeal colonisation affecting virtually all members of the population; through focal infections of the meninges, joints, or eye; to the devastating and often fatal syndrome of meningococcal septic shock and purpura fulminans.

The need for early antimicrobial therapy is well established for life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections including meningitis and sepsis/septic shock. However, a link between the outcome of serious viral infections and delays in antiviral therapy is not as well recognized. Recently, with the occurrence of the influenza A/H1N1 pandemic of 2009, a large body of data regarding this issue ...

This review summarizes current knowledge on the impact of genetic markers on susceptibility, severity, and outcome of acute inflammatory disorders in children, with a special focus on systemic infections. A 14-year-old child with Neisseria meningitides bacteremia, complicated by septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction, is discussed as an exemplary case, and linked to the application of gene...

Prior to the introduction of vaccines, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was the most important bacterial pathogen in early childhood, responsible for the majority of cases of meningitis and epiglottitis and contributing to the burden of cases of bacteremia, septic arthritis, pneumonia, and pericarditis . Beginning in 1992, all provinces and territories routinely immunized infants 2 months of...

We describe a case of an infant with HSV meningitis and septic shock who demonstrated a remarkably high serum ferritin level. Aggressive pediatric intensive care and the administration of high-dose glucocorticoids were not able to reverse the multiple organ dysfunctions. Subsequent autopsy identified the presence of hemophagocytosis, thus the patient fulfilled hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis...

Lemierre's syndrome is an acute oropharyngeal infection with secondary septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and frequent metastatic infections. Despite its rarity, it is important to have a high degree of clinical suspicion to recognise it early. A history of sore throat followed by metastatic infections and abscesses should alert the clinician to the possibility of this unusual...

UNLABELLED We describe a patient with salmonella enteritidis meningitis and unknown HIV infection. SETTING A 14-bed adult intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital.The patient was brought to the emergency department with fever, nuchal rigidity and confusion. A first cerebrospinal fluid examination was non diagnostic. After a short period of improvement the patient developed septic shock. A s...

Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) is an important bacterial pathogen in children, causing a variety of respiratory infections and lifethreatening diseases such as meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia and septicaemia. Occasionally, Hi can also cause sporadic infections such as septic arthritis (SA). Before the advent of Hi type b (Hib) vaccination, paediatric invasive Hi disease was caused mostly by Hi...