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Biomedical subjects

K M Edwards

Publications and source records attributed to K M Edwards.

146 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
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Meningococcal group Y disease in children.

Neisseria meningitidis Group Y has been considered to be an uncommon pathogen in children. We reviewed the cases of Group Y meningococcal disease in children managed at our institution from 1974 through 1982. Twenty-four percent (6 of 25 cases) of the meningococcal disease in children between 5 and 20 years of age was caused by N. meningitidis Group Y. This serogroup of meningococcus was not isolated from children younger than 5 years of age. Meningococcemia characterized by purpura fulminans was the most common presentation. Pneumonia, a common presentation of Group Y meningococcal disease in military recruits, was not observed. Group Y meningococcal disease had emerged as a cause of meningococcemia and meningitis in older children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased susceptibility to infection in hypothermic children: possible role of acquired neutrophil dysfunction.

The addition of hypothermia to regimens to control cerebral edema in children at our institution has been associated with a substantial incidence of infectious complications. Of the 13 children maintained at 30 degrees C to prevent cerebral edema, 3 developed Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia and 2 developed Streptococcus pneumoniae sepsis (one with pneumonia). The importance of neutrophil (PMN) function for elimination of bacterial pathogens prompted in vitro studies of PMN function at clinically attainable hypothermic temperatures. Neutrophils at 30 degrees C had significantly less ability to migrate towards a chemotactic stimulus (45 +/- 10% inhibition; P less than 0.02), to ingest staphylococci (22 +/- 5% inhibition; P less than 0.01) and to be metabolically activated as measured by superoxide production (35 +/- 10% inhibition; P less than 0.01) or by chemiluminescence (18 +/- 8% inhibition; P less than 0.05). These in vitro findings support the clinical observation that persons with decreased body temperature may be at an increased risk for bacterial infections secondary to PMN dysfunction.

Adolescent↗