Paediatric infectionmanagement for themicrobiologist, antimicrobialpharmacist, paediatricianand adult infectiousdiseases specialist

Learning objectives

Although providing advice on the management of children with infections (both common and complex infections) falls within the routine workload of clinical microbiologists and antimicrobial pharmacists working in general hospitals across Europe, as well as adult infectious diseases specialists on occasion, there are many fundamental differences between adults and children that impact on clinical decision making. Not only are children vulnerable to a number of pathologies that most adults are protected from, the aetiology and presentation of infection in children often differs considerably. Sample collection in children can be extremely challenging and the effect of the microbiota can limit the utility of many tests in children. For these reasons, many microbiologists, adult infection specialists and clinical pharmacists feel less confident proving advice on children compared to adults, potentially resulting in unnecessary investigations, prolonged exposure to antimicrobials and diagnostic delays.

This course aims to address some of these issues through a series of case-based interactive workshops. Active participation will be maintained through face to face discussions and real-time voting. Key differences between children and adults will be highlighted and evidence based approaches to managing children will be presented. Discussions within these workshops will include the role of lumbar puncture in young infants with UTIs, conservative versus surgical management of atypical mycobacterial lymphadenitis in children, the role of pneumococcal urinary antigen testing in children with pneumonia, whether routine echocardiography is required in all children with staph aureus bacteraemia, investigating the baby with late onset sepsis, managing children following a significant exposure to pulmonary TB and many others. This case-based interactive approach has been used annually at various international infecton conferences and has received excellent feedback from microbiologists, pharmacists and infectious diseases specialists worlwide.