Serious systemic paracoccidioidomycosis infections are often associated with men working in agriculture. Dr Guisano and colleagues describe a cluster of six cases in children in the NEA area of Argentina that occurred during the 1982-3 El Niño Southern Oscillation climatic anomaly, and suggest that climatic and anthropogenic changes may have played a role
Children receiving voriconazole should receive ECG monitoring and electrolyte imbalance correction
Voriconazole can induce QTc prolongation and life-threatening arrhythmias. Dr Pasternak and colleagues in Israel found that QTcP >60 ms occurred in around a third of children receiving voriconazole. They recommend ECG monitoring for all patients, and correction of electrolyte imbalances (especially potassium) before initiating voriconazole treatment.
New prospective open-label study on anidulafungin for invasive candidiasis in children
Recommendations for using anidulafungin (Ecalta/Eraxis) to treat invasive candidiasis in children are largely extrapolated from trials in adults. Dr Roilides and colleagues have published data from a trial of 49 children reporting a global response rate of 71% and a drug-related adverse event rate of 37% (10% discontinued due to AEs).