species are commensal bacteria of human mucosal surfaces that are sometimes involved in serious invasive infections. During the investigation of strains cultured from various clinical specimens, we encountered a coherent group of 10 isolates that could not be allocated to any validly named species by phenotype, mass spectrometry, or partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a phylogenetic cluster related to but separate from The mean DNA hybridization value for strains of the new cluster versus was 56% (range, 53.7 to 58.0%), whereas the average nucleotide identity was 94.4% (range, 93.9 to 94.8%). The new cluster exhibited aggregative properties typical of the genus Key phenotypic tests for discrimination of the new cluster from validly named species are alanine-phenylalanine-proline arylamidase,-acetylglucosamine, and β-galactosidase. The name is proposed, with PN_528 (CCUG 70536 or DSM 105094) as the type strain.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clonal complex (CC) 398 has spread from pigs to humans, but rarely from person to person. This strain of MRSA has been considered less virulent than others. Livestock-associated MRSA CC398 (LA-MRSA CC398) is particularly known to colonize pig farmers. Recent studies have shown an increasing number of people colonized with LA-MRSA CC398 and invasive infections caused by LA-MRSA CC398. The case of a previously healthy, 61-year-old woman admitted to a Danish regional hospital is reported here. She presented with fever, severe back pain, and bilateral hyperreflexia of patellar and Achilles reflexes. Blood tests revealed leukocytosis and elevated Creactive protein. Empiric antimicrobial therapy with intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam was initiated, but blood cultures grew MRSA and antimicrobial therapy was changed to intravenous vancomycin. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the MRSA strain belonged to LA-MRSA CC398 spa type t011 and was Panton-Valentine leukocidin-negative. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an epidural abscess at the level of L1-L4. Surgery was performed and pus from the abscess grew MRSA. The duration of antimicrobial therapy was 12 weeks. This case report describes bacteremia with LA-MRSA CC398 in a previously healthy patient without exposure to livestock or previous admission to a hospital. This highlights the risk of person-to-person transmission of LA-MRSA CC398 and brings into question whether LA-MRSA CC398 may have a greater pathogenic potential than previously assumed.

The purpose of this study was to examine the transfer rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in pregnancy and newborns. Two Danish labor wards screened all women for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR upon arrival. Women (n = 99) with a SARS-CoV-2 PCR–positive nasopharyngeal (NP) swab or with a household member with a positive swab at labor or any time during pregnancy, or COVID-19 symptoms upon admission (November 2020 through August 2021), were included. Mother and infant were tested by NP swabs at delivery, and maternal and infant (umbilical cord) venous blood samples were collected. We obtained clinical information including previous PCR test results from the medical records. SARS-Cov-2 IgM and quantified IgG antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and transfer ratios of IgG. We detected IgG antibodies in 73 women and 65 cord blood sera and found a strong correlation between SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord sera (r = 0.9; p < 0.05). Transfer ratio was > 1.0 in 51 out of 73 (69%) infants and > 1.5 in 26 (35%). We found that transfer was proportional to time from a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR NP swab to delivery (r = 0.5; p < 0.05). Transfer ratios of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were associated with time from infection to delivery with transfer ratios of more than 1.0 in the majority of seropositive mother-infant dyads.

BackgroundGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) infection in infants may result in both respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological dysfunction and ultimately death of the infant. Surveillance of GBS strains in infants and their clinical characteristics guide development of effective vaccines and other potential treatments and may have implications for future prognostics and infant care. Therefore, we aimed to study GBS serotypes and clonal complexes (CC) in Danish infants with early onset infection (EOD) (0–6 days of life) and late-onset infection (LOD) (7–89 days of life) and to estimate the association between GBS strain and different clinical outcomes.MethodsWe included Danish infants less than 3 months of age with GBS isolates from blood or cerebrospinal fluid between 1999 and 2009. GBS isolates were analyzed by serotyping and multilocus sequence typing with classification of isolates into clonal complexes. Clinical characteristics were obtained by questionnaires completed by tending pediatrician including gestational age, Apgar scores, age at onset, meningitis, symptom severity, treatment duration, and mortality. Symptom severities were reported within neurological symptoms, need for respiratory or circulatory support, and treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation.ResultsA total of 212 GBS isolates were collected with 129 from EOD and 83 from LOD. The dominating GBS strains were III/CC17 (41%), Ia/CC23 (17%), III/CC19 (15%), Ib/CC8-10 (7%), and V/CC1 (6%). Strain Ia/CC23 was mostly found in EOD, while III/CC17 was widespread in LOD, though being the most common in both EOD and LOD. Strain III/CC17 and Ia/CC23 had highest percentage of samples from cerebrospinal fluid (26%), while III/CC19 had the least (8%). Strain III/CC19 had highest mortality with about one fifth of infected infants dying (22%) followed by Ia/CC23 (16%), Ib/CC8-10 (9%), and then III/CC17 (6%). The symptom severity varied between strains, but with no strain consistently resulting in more severe symptoms.ConclusionSome potential differences in disease severity were observed between the different strains. These findings emphasize the continuous need for multimodal surveillance of infant GBS strains and their clinical characteristics to optimize development of GBS vaccines and other potential treatments.

The therapeutic approach to Wilms tumor (WT) is multidisciplinary and leads to significant patient impairment, increasing the risk of nutritional compromise and malnutrition. Children with cancer are vulnerable to sarcopenia which has been recognized as a negative impact of anticancer therapy. Recent studies have highlighted the reduction in the total psoas muscle area (TPMA) to be associated with a poor prognosis in many pediatric diseases, including cancer. This study aims to evaluate changes in the TPMA compartment during the treatment of children with WT. An observational, longitudinal, and retrospective study was undertaken in a single institution evaluating children (1 to 14 y, n=38) with WT between 2014 and 2020. TPMA was assessed by the analysis of previously collected, electronically stored computed tomography images of the abdomen obtained at 3 time points: diagnosis, preoperatively, and 1 year after surgery. For all patients, TPMA/age were calculated with a specific online calculator. Our data show a high incidence of sarcopenia (55.3%) at diagnosis which increased after 4 to 6 weeks of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (73.7%) and remained high (78.9%) 1 year after the surgical procedure. Using TPMA/age Z-score curves we have found significant and rapid muscle loss in children with WT, with little or no recovery in the study period.