• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.124-128
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• 2007

Bronchiolitis obliterans is a clinical syndrome of chronic obstruction associated with inflammatory changes in the small airways. There are marked variations in the epidemiology of this disease. In childhood, bronchiolitis obliterans has been described as a result of a number of infections such as adenovirus, measles, Bordetella pertussis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and influenza A infection. Most common agents are adenovirus types 3, 7, and 21. Diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans can be made based on clinical findings, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and lung biopsy. In addition to diagnosis, treatment is not yet clearly established. The authors experienced a case of bronchiolitis obliterans developed in 3 year-old girl who suffered from type 7 adenoviral pneumonia. She had been hospitalized and treated for 15 days due to pneumonia. After discharge, productive cough was not improved and auscultation revealed wheezing. HRCT demonstrated multifocal mosaic patterns suggesting bronchiolitis obliterans. She was managed with inhaled steroid and bronchodilator, and her symptoms were improved. However, follow up HRCT showed no interval change.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.10
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• pp.398-401
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• 2015

Tularemia is a potentially severe zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis. A lack of awareness about tularemia can be embarrassing and could result in delayed treatment because of improper diagnosis. The diagnosis of tularemia is difficult, because the infections are rare and the clinical spectrum is broad. As only 1 adult case has been reported in Korea thus far, pediatricians in Korea may be unfamiliar with tularemia. We report our experience with a 14-year-old male adolescent with tularemia who presented with atypical pneumonia and possible infective endocarditis. Although the infectivity and mortality rates for tularemia are very high if left untreated, we did not suspect tularemia in this case until the incidental isolation of F. tularensis. The present case suggests that clinicians in Korea should be more aware of tularemia. This case also suggests that tularemia should be considered in undetermined cases of atypical pneumonia or acute febrile illness without local signs.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.202-207
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• 2004

Group A streptococcus, also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, is a common bacterial pathogens of the upper respiratory tract and skin infections in children, but this organism is a less common cause of pneumonia, pericarditis. However, pneumonia that is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, may be rapidly progressive course with developing severe consequences. It may be focal but often is bilateral and diffuse involvement of lung. Empyema is commonly developed, and pleurocentesis often yields thin, watery fluid that continues to flow out when a chest tube is inserted. Antimicrobial resistance to the ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics has not been reported against group A streptococci, whereas increasing resistance to the macrolides seems to be directly related to the consumption of specific antimicrobial agent use in the community. Clindamycin resistance is uncommon but does occur. We experienced one case of group A streptoccoccal pneumonia with empyema and pericardial effusion, and treated successfully with amoxicillin-clavulanate, clindamycin and roxithromycin.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2019

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is the most common causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia in school-aged children. An 8-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with autism looked severely ill when he presented to our hospital due to dyspnea and lethargy. He had fever and cough 7 days prior to hospitalization. He had signs and symptoms of severe respiratory distress. The percutaneous oxygen saturation was 88% at high oxygen supply. Chest radiography showed diffusely increased opacity with moderate pleural effusion. He was intubated immediately and admitted to the intensive care unit. Under the clinical impression of mycoplasmal pneumonia, intravenous clarithromycin was started. Laboratory findings showed leukocytosis, hepatitis, decreased renal function, and presence of serum MP immunoglobulin (Ig) M (+) IgG (+) and sputum MP polymerase chain reaction (+). On hospital day 2, the patient developed multiple organ failure with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was performed with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and was weaned successfully. This is the first reported case of an ARDS due to MP infection complicated by multiple organ failure that was successfully treated with ECMO and CRRT in South Korea.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.104-108
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• 1999

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with neuraminidase-producing Streptococcus pneumoniae usually associated with invasive infection such as fulminant pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis and may occur earlier in lift and has a higher mortality rate than typical hemolytic uremic syndrome. We have experienced a 22-month-old female patient with hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with S. pneumoniae pneumonia and empyema. The patient was treated with ceftriaxone and washed red blood cell transfusion. As the disese course could be aggravated by the use of blood products containing anti-Tomsen-Friedenreich antigen, early recognition and sensible use of blood products such as washed RBC might lead to the improved outcome.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.387-387
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• 2016

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.529-534
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• 2002

Interstitial pneumonia is a heterogenous group of inflammatory and fibrosing lesions that manifest themselves as infiltrative lung disease. Of these, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia is characterized as a variable degree of interstitial inflammation with or without fibrosis and is distinguished from usual interstitial pneumonia and desquamative interstitial pneumonia, histologically. The influx of inflammatory cells and the responses of immune effector cells injury to the alveolar wall and these initial injuries results in alveolitis and fibrosis. Consequently, the gas exchange throughout the alveolar wall is impaired and the patients suffer from lung diseases of a restrictive pattern. The chief complaints represented are dyspnea and dry cough. We experienced a case of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia in a 10-year old girl. The patient had been healthy and had not been exposed to organic dusts or other toxic materials. The pathology of lung biopsy tissue showed that the alveoli were thickened by a mixture of chronic inflammatory cells and collagen type fibrosis. High resolution computed tomography(HRCT) found the patchy areas of ground-glass opacity with patchy consolidation and irregular reticular opacity, and diffuse distribution without zonal predominance. The forced vital capicity(FVC) was 31%, forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) 29% and $FEV_1/FVC$ 90%, so a restrictive pulmonary insufficiency was found.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.42-47
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• 2012

$Mycoplasma$ $pneumoniae$ (MP), the smallest self-replicating biological system, is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, leading to a wide range of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. MP pneumonia has been reported in 10 to 40% of cases of community-acquired pneumonia and shows an even higher proportion during epidemics. MP infection is endemic in larger communities of the world with cyclic epidemics every 3 to 7 years. In Korea, 3 to 4-year cycles have been observed from the mid-1980s to present. Although a variety of serologic assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques are available for the diagnosis of MP infections, early diagnosis of MP pneumonia is limited by the lack of immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies and variable PCR results in the early stages of the infection. Thus, short-term paired IgM serologic tests may be mandatory for an early and definitive diagnosis. MP infection is usually a mild and self-limiting disease without specific treatment, and if needed, macrolides are generally used as a first-choice drug for children. Recently, macrolide-resistant MP strains have been reported worldwide. However, there are few reports of apparent treatment failure, such as progression of pneumonia to acute respiratory distress syndrome despite macrolide treatment. The immunopathogenesis of MP pneumonia is believed to be a hyperimmune reaction of the host to the insults from MP infection, including cytokine overproduction and immune cell activation (T cells). In this context, immunomodulatory treatment (corticosteroids or/and intravenous Ig), in addition to antibiotic treatment, might be considered for patients with severe infection.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.167-174
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• 2017

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is one of the most common forms of community-acquired pneumonia in children and adolescents. Outbreaks of MPP occur in 3- to 7-year cycles worldwide; recent epidemics in Korea occurred in 2006-2007, 2011, and 2015-2016. Although MPP is known to be a mild, self-limiting disease with a good response to macrolides, it can also progress into a severe and fulminant disease. Notably, since 2000, the prevalence of macrolide-resistant MPP has rapidly increased, especially in Asian countries, recently reaching up to 80%-90%. Macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMP) harbors a point mutation in domain V of 23S rRNA with substitutions mainly detected at positions 2063 and 2064 of the sequence. The excessive use of macrolides may contribute to these mutations. MRMP can lead to clinically refractory pneumonia, showing no clinical or radiological response to macrolides, and can progress to severe and complicated pneumonia. Refractory MPP is characterized by an excessive immune response against the pathogen as well as direct injury caused by an increasing bacterial load. A change of antibiotics is recommended to reduce the bacterial load. Tetracyclines or quinolones can be alternatives for treating MRMP. Otherwise, corticosteroid or intravenous immunoglobulin can be added to the treatment regimen as immunomodulators to downregulate an excessive host immune reaction and alleviate immune-mediated pulmonary injury. However, the exact starting time point, dose, or duration of immunomodulators has not been established. This review focuses on the mechanism of resistance acquisition and treatment options for MRMP pneumonia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.276-279
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• 2016

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is a rare autosomal recessive neurocutaneous disorder with worldwide incidence of 0.4 per 100,000 people. It is characterized by the triad of congenital ichthyosis, spastic diplegia or quadriplegia, and mental retardation. Herein we report a 2-year-old male child with SLS, asthma, and recurrent pneumonia. SLS was confirmed by a molecular genetics study that revealed a deletion mutation in the ALDH3A2 gene. An ALDH3A2 gene mutation results in dysfunction of the microsomal enzyme fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase and impaired metabolism and accumulation of leukotriene B4, which is a key molecule and a pro-inflammatory mediator in developing allergic diseases, especially asthma. An increased level of leukotriene B4 has been reported in SLS patients. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of SLS associated with asthma and recurrent pneumonia. In conclusion, pediatricians should be aware of and evaluate patients with SLS for possible associated asthma and allergic disorders.