PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L T Gutman

Publications and source records attributed to L T Gutman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Improved neurodevelopmental outcomes following long-term high-dose oral acyclovir therapy in infants with central nervous system and disseminated herpes simplex disease.

OBJECTIVE: Infants with neonatal herpes, classified as central nervous system or disseminated disease, have a high incidence of moderate and severe neurologic deficits despite standard acute therapy. STUDY DESIGN: Following completion of parenteral therapy, infants with central nervous system and/or disseminated disease received 2 years of continuous oral acyclovir therapy. Target minimum peak serum acyclovir concentrations were >2 microg/ml for the first three patients, and >3 microg/ml for the subsequent 13 patients. Safety assessments were made every 3 months. We evaluated neurodevelopmental outcomes with Bayley Scales of Infant Development. RESULTS: A total of 16 consecutive herpes simplex virus-infected infants born during 1990 to 2003 received the treatment plan; 13/16 infants had central nervous system disease; 3 had disseminated disease without central nervous system involvement. A total of 69% (11/16) had Bayley scores in the normal range for mental development and 79% (11/14) had motor scores in the normal range. At the final assessment, five children had developmental delays. One child had severe mental delay with normal motor development. Four children had mild mental delays, with severe motor delays in three. All children were independently mobile, without seizure disorder, had normal vision, and had speech development. During the 2-year course of treatment, five children had brief recurrences of dermal lesions, and none had evidence of neurologic deterioration. There were no serious or sustained adverse drug reactions. CONCLUSION: This pilot study reports improved outcomes in a small cohort of infants with a prolonged course of oral acyclovir. A minority of these children exhibited mild or significant developmental delays. Further investigation of this approach to treatment is warranted.

Acyclovir↗

Cervical-vaginal and intraanal human papillomavirus infection of young girls with external genital warts.

To expand information regarding the epidemiology of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in young girls, girls with external genital warts were examined for the prevalence of cervical-vaginal or intraanal HPV infection. Cervical-vaginal wash specimens and biopsies of external lesions were examined for HPV genotypes 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, and 16 using Southern transfer hybridization with restriction endonuclease fragment length analysis. Exfoliated cells from cervical-vaginal and intraanal canals were processed for cytologic study. Of 18 girls, 8 (44%) had cytologic or genomic evidence (or both) of cervical-vaginal or intraanal HPV infection. Five had cervical-vaginal wash specimens that were positive for HPV genome and showed mild dysplasia. As is true for adults, young girls with external anal-genital warts are also frequently infected with HPV at internal mucosal sites. Determining the immediate and long-term prognosis of infected children and those with intraepithelial neoplasia will require appropriate prospective studies.

Anus Diseases↗

Tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus-exposed or -infected United States children.

This study was designed to provide a preliminary assessment of the occurrence of tuberculosis exposure, infection and disease within a national sample of infants and children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exposure or infection, and to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates resistant both to isoniazid and rifampin in these patients or their adult source contacts. A retrospective questionnaire survey was conducted of infants and children with HIV exposure or infection evaluated by pediatric HIV referral centers in the United States comprising the pediatric units or subunits of the Pediatric Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Clinical Trials Group (PACTG). Seventy of 72 sites during a mean period of 5 (range, 1 to 12) years participated in this study and had provided care for 14,038 patients. There were 75 cumulative total cases of tuberculosis disease seen since each site was established. Therapy for asymptomatic infection was given to another 40 children and for tuberculosis exposure to 71 children. Annualized case rates were 478/100,000 for sites established in 1990 to 1992, 117/100,000 for 1988 to 1989, 63/100,000 for 1986 to 1987 and 58/100,000 for 1981 to 1985 (P = 0.05, Spearman's p test for trend). By comparison, the 1992 age-specific tuberculosis case rate for all U.S. children < 5 years was 5.5/100,000. Twenty percent of isolates from PACTG patients and 15% of isolates from adult source contacts were resistant to isoniazid and rifampin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Dosing considerations for oral acyclovir following neonatal herpes disease.

Herpes simplex virus lesions recur in 8-30% of infants who receive a course of parenteral antiviral therapy for an initial infection. Long-term acyclovir is used by some clinicians to prevent recurrent Herpes simplex disease. We describe nine infants who were treated with doses of oral acyclovir which were chosen to achieve 2-h post-plasma concentrations of > or = 2 micrograms/ml. Eight infants had Herpes simplex encephalitis and one had multiple recurrences of dermal and ocular disease. The target plasma concentration was chosen in order to attain acyclovir cerebrospinal fluid distribution (< or = 50% plasma) for an estimated ID30 of Herpes simplex II strains of 0.1-0.5 microgram/ml. One of nine patients failed to achieve the target plasma acyclovir concentration. One of nine patients developed symptomatic recurrence of the central nervous system disease and none of the remaining eight patients experienced recognized dermal or neurologic recurrence of Herpes simplex disease. Renal and neurologic status were routinely monitored and no signs of acyclovir toxicity were observed. Plasma concentration of acyclovir > or = 2 micrograms/ml may be achieved with average oral doses of 1340 mg/m2/dose (1000-1740 mg/m2/dose) given at 12-h intervals.

Acyclovir↗

Pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Barriers to recognizing the role of child sexual abuse.

The only reportable exposure categories for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of children are vertical transmission from an HIV-infected mother or receipt of infected blood or blood products. Although sexual transmission of HIV among adults is the subject of intense concern, sexual transmission of HIV to children during child sexual abuse has received almost no investigative attention. This review discusses factors contributing to the exclusion of sexual transmission of HIV to children from studies of the epidemiology of HIV infection. Difficulties occur in screening and confirming abuse in nonselected populations of children, perceived and real barriers exist to the evaluation for HIV of sexually abused children, and problems occur in the assessment for child sexual abuse of HIV-infected children. Impediments to the understanding of the relationship between sexual abuse and HIV infection in sexually abused, HIV-infected children are considered, and measures that can allow these barriers to be overcome are discussed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Transmission of human genital papillomavirus disease: comparison of data from adults and children.

A substantial body of evidence has demonstrated that the primary means of transmission of genital warts in sexually active adults is through sexual contact. However, the epidemiology and social significance of anal-genital warts in prepubertal children is controversial. Debate continues regarding the frequency with which these lesions have resulted from sexual abuse or transmission by other means. An accurate understanding of the dominant means of transmission of anal-genital warts in children is of particular importance because that understanding influences the extent to which child protective services may become involved following a diagnosis. This paper reviews the evolution of the data on the means of transmission of human papilloma virus disease of the genital tract of adults and compares those data with the information available concerning the transmission of anal-genital human papillomavirus-related disease in children. Methods for the diagnosis of child sexual abuse that have developed in the past decade form one of the bases for the evaluation of studies of the transmission of anal-genital human papillomavirus-related diseases to children.

Adult↗

Evaluation of sexually abused and nonabused young girls for intravaginal human papillomavirus infection.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of intravaginal human papillomavirus-associated disease in two groups of girls to develop information regarding the means of transmission of anal-genital human papillomavirus disease. DESIGN: A pair of parallel studies of prevalence of human papillomavirus infections in two populations of prospectively enrolled girls. PATIENTS: Index patients consisted of 15 consecutive girls aged 11 years or younger who were confirmed to have been sexually abused, had signs or symptoms of vaginal disease, and required generalized anesthesia for evaluation. Selection of nonabused control patients was based on negative findings from screening evaluations and physical examinations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalences of cervical-vaginal human papillomavirus infections in the two populations were compared. Vaginal wash samples from index and control patients were assayed for human papillomavirus 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, and 16 by reverse-blot and Southern transfer hybridization methods. Papanicolaou smears were examined from index patients. RESULTS: Vaginal wash samples from five (33%) of 15 index patients were positive for human papillomavirus 6, 11, or 16, compared with none of 17 controls. The presence or absence of external anal-genital warts was not correlated with results from the assay of intravaginal samples. Blinded readings of vaginal exfoliative cytologic findings of the index patients showed koilocytosis, atypia, or inflammatory reactions in four of five human papillomavirus-positive girls, and normal cytologic findings in one human papillomavirus-positive girl. CONCLUSION: These findings support other studies that indicate that sexual contact is a major route in the transmission of anal-genital human papillomavirus-related disease in children. Evaluation of intravaginal specimens was required to identify human papillomavirus-infected girls since the results of the wash samples were not correlated with the presence or absence of external anal-genital warts.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Sexual abuse of human immunodeficiency virus-positive children. Outcomes for perpetrators and evaluation of other household children.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain the following data that pertain to programs for the prevention of sexual abuse and sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to children: (1) to determine the prevalence of sexual abuse among siblings and other children cohabiting with sexually abused HIV-positive children, and (2) to determine if programs designed to restrain identified perpetrators from further acts of child sexual abuse were instituted. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Households of previously described sexually abused HIV-infected children. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two siblings or other children who lived in the homes of 14 previously described HIV-infected sexually abused children. Eight perpetrators of the abuse were identified. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexual abuse of cohabiting children was confirmed with disclosure interviews, witness by other persons, diagnosis of another sexually transmitted disease, or an abnormal physical examination result that was highly suggestive of sexual abuse. Telephone contact with the Department of Social Services, county sheriff or police, and district attorney provided data regarding reports, criminal indictments, trials, convictions, and plea-bargain arrangements for the identified perpetrators. RESULTS: Eleven (50%) of the 22 cohabiting children were confirmed to have been sexually abused and four (18%) were suspected of having been sexually abused. Seven (32%) of the cohabiting children could not be examined and it was not known if they had been sexually abused. No assailant was tried for a criminal offense, required to participate in offender therapy, or prohibited from unsupervised visitation of children. CONCLUSION: Programs for the prevention of sexual abuse and sexual transmission of HIV to children require means of ensuring the safety of children exposed to perpetrators and require adequate supervision of perpetrators and their adherence to therapy.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Human immunodeficiency virus transmission by child sexual abuse.

During 1987-1989, 14 (14.6%) of the 96 children who tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and were followed up by the Duke University (Durham, NC) pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome team were confirmed to have been sexually abused. Every sexually abused child was evaluated for each of five modes of HIV transmission, and in nine children the pathway was identified. Four of the study children acquired HIV from child sexual abuse and in six, abuse was a possible source. Transmission by child sexual abuse was the most frequent of the proven modes of acquisition of HIV in this population. The other proven modes of acquisition were vertical transmission (n = 3) and HIV-contaminated blood transfusion (n = 2). Twelve males were identified (n = 8) or suspected (n = 4) of being perpetrators. Three knew themselves to have HIV at the time of an assault and eight were aware that the child had HIV at the time of an assault. There was no indication from any child that "safe sex" precautions had been observed. Children with HIV infection had multiple risk factors for abuse or neglect. The sociological descriptors of the lives of the 14 abused children showed multiple known risk factors for sexual abuse that also overlapped with known risk factors for or sequelae of the acquisition of HIV infection. These included drug abuse and alcoholism in the home, prostitution of a parent, lack of parenting, poverty, and chronic illness of the child. Prevention efforts should recognize that children as well as adults are at risk for sexually transmitted HIV infection.

Adolescent↗

Outcome of treatment of candidemia in children whose central catheters were removed or retained.

In this study we reviewed the outcomes of all pediatric patients at Duke University Medical Center between 1978 and 1987 who were treated with amphotericin B and in whom Candida sp. fungemia occurred in the presence of a venous or arterial central catheter. Twenty-one episodes were evaluated for efficacy of either of 2 interventions. In 13 patients the catheter was removed and amphotericin B therapy was begun (Group 1), and in 8 patients, the catheter was retained and amphotericin B therapy was begun (Group 2). Persistent candidemia beyond onset of intervention occurred in 2 of the 13 patients in Group 1 and in 6 of the 8 patients in Group 2 (P = 0.018). In Group 1, 2 of the 13 patients subsequently developed new complications of candidiasis, and no patient died of causes related to candidiasis. In Group 2, 3 of the 8 patients had resolution of persistent candidemia only after catheter removal, 3 developed new complications of candidiasis after initiation of amphotericin B and 2 died with systemic candidal infection. Only one of the catheters initially retained was maintained successfully beyond the second week of amphotericin B therapy. We conclude that adverse outcomes (persistent fungemia, morbidity and mortality) are associated with attempts to maintain central catheters in the presence of candidemia.

Amphotericin B↗

Herpes simplex virus encephalitis in children: analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and progressive neurodevelopmental deterioration.

In this retrospective study of six patients (five infants and one child) with herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis, we report the results of developmental evaluations and assays of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that were performed more than one month after the onset of disease. Two infants had recurrence or worsening of disease immediately after completing parenteral therapy. Two other infants had late developmental deterioration of previously attained abilities, which was associated with pleocytosis and/or elevation of the protein concentration in CSF during the year after acute HSV encephalitis. Three of the five infants had severe neurological and developmental impairment, and all of them had late CSF pleocytosis and/or elevated protein concentrations. Two infants were treated with oral acyclovir after completing parenteral therapy; they had mild neurological impairment and no further CSF abnormalities. Periodic activation of latent virus may be the cause of inflammatory responses of the CSF that lead to continued or intermittent neurological and developmental damage. Our data suggest that HSV encephalitis in infants may result in late persistent or recurrent disease of the central nervous system.

Antibodies, Viral↗