Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous virus that infects most individuals worldwide. In immunocompetent individuals, CMV causes mild to no symptoms but can cause significant disease in immunocompromised patients. Congenital CMV is the most common infection in newborns worldwide and is…

Varicella-Zoster Virus

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is an alphaherpesvirus that is related most closely to herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2. Primary infection with VZV causes varicella, commonly called chickenpox. VZV establishes latent infection in dorsal root and cranial ganglia and can reactivate…

Herpes Simplex Virus

Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) belong to the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily of herpesviruses. The large DNA viruses have a short reproductive cycle, rapidly produce lytic infection in tissue culture, and remain latent in sensory neural ganglia.…

Introduction to Herpesviridae

The family Herpesviridae contains three subfamilies: Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae, and Gammaherpesvirinae. , The eight known human herpesviruses are represented in six genera, which are shown with the typical characteristics of the subfamilies in Table 203.1 . TABLE 203.1 Members of Herpesviridae…

Poxviridae

Despite the eradication of smallpox as a human pathogen, several poxviruses remain clinically significant, including monkeypox, vaccinia (i.e., virus used for smallpox vaccination), molluscum contagiosum, and several relatively uncommon zoonotic viruses. Concern about smallpox as a bioterrorist weapon also has…

Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children in the developed world. The epidemiology and clinical features of the illness point to an infectious etiology, but the cause remains unknown. KD is a unique…

Ureaplasma urealyticum

Microbiology Members of the family Mycoplasmataceae are small pleomorphic bacteria that characteristically lack a cell wall. Shapes range from filamentous to spherical, with diameters up to 0.8 μm. The genus Ureaplasma is biochemically unique in that all members possess urease…

Other Mycoplasma Species

Many Mollicutes colonize the mucosal surfaces of humans ( Table 197.1 ). Of these, only Mycoplasma genitalium , M. hominis , M. pneumoniae (see Chapter 196 ) , and Ureaplasma urealyticum (see Chapter 198 ) are known to be pathogenic…