Dien Bard

We hypothesized that the incidence, clinical presentation, isolate serotypes, and isolate antibiotic susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae causing pneumonia in children varied before and through the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients aged 18 years or younger at 8 children’s hospitals in the United States admitted with culture-positive pneumonia were identified. Serotyping of pneumococcal isolates was performed at a central research laboratory.

Multiplex molecular diagnostic panels have greatly enhanced detection of gastrointestinal pathogens. However, data on the impact of these tests on clinical and patient-centered outcomes are limited. We conducted a prospective, multicenter, stepped-wedge trial to determine the impact of multiplex molecular testing at 5 academic children's hospitals on children presenting to the emergency department with acute gastroenteritis.

Introduction Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has continued to spread rapidly worldwide, leading to over 4.2 million deaths globally (1). Although travel and work exposure dominated initial SARS-CoV-2 spread, household exposure quickly became the principal source of transmission (2, 3). Households are high-risk settings for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 via respiratory droplets, aerosols, and fomites due to sustained close contact in enclosed indoor settings (4, 5).