Background and objective: To describe the clinical-radiological-pathological characteristics and treatment outcomes of childhood exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) and elucidate oil administration practices. Methods: A retrospective study of children with histologically-confirmed ELP at Red Cross Children’s Hospital, South Africa. Caregivers were interviewed to understand oil administration practices. Results: Twelve children of Zimbabwean heritage aged 2.1-10.8 months were identified between 2012 and 2017. Repeated oral administration of plant-based oil for cultural reasons was reported by 10/11 caregivers. Cough (12/12), tachypnea (11/12), hypoxia (9/12) and diffuse alveolar infiltrates on chest radiography (12/12) were common at presentation. Chest computed tomography revealed ground glass opacification with lower zone predominance (9/9) and interlobular septal thickening (8/9). All bronchoalveolar lavage specimens appeared cloudy/milky, with abundant lipid laden macrophages and extracellular lipid on Oil-Red-O staining and documented polymicrobial (6/12) and Mycobacterium abscessus (2/12) co-infection. Antibiotics, systemic corticosteroids and therapeutic partial lung lavage were interventions in all, 8 and 5 patients respectively. Median time to clinical resolution was 1.1 months IQR (0.5-8.0) with radiological resolution only in 2/12 cases. Conclusions: Paediatric ELP resembles pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Health workers should explicitly probe for a history of oil administration in children with non-resolving pneumonia and consider the diagnosis of ELP in settings where this is a common practice.

Introduction: There is limited literature on chronic obstructive airway disease in the paediatric age group. Post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is a cause of obstructive airway disease children, with limited data in African children. Aim: To describe the clinical spectrum, aetiology, and disease progression of children with post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans. Methodology: This is a cross sectional descriptive study included all patients aged 6 months to 15 years with PIBO attending a tertiary paediatric pulmonology service in Cape Town, South Africa over period of one year (November 2019 to October 2020). Results: Fifty-one patients with PIBO were enrolled, 78% were males, median age 60 months (IQR 33-107). The median age at disease presentation was 6 months (IQR 3-12), 80% initially presented with cough. Ninety-four percent of patients required hospital admission, 76% were admitted to ICU, 92% required supplemental oxygen therapy and 75% required ventilatory support. Reported cigarette smoke exposure was high (47%). Adenovirus was the most common cause of initial infection 59%. Lung hyperinflation (84%) and air trapping (78%) were the most common current chest radiographic findings; bronchiectasis in 45% of patients. Spirometry showed mixed (41.4%) or obstructive (27%) patterns, mean (SD) FEV1 z-score - 3.3(±1.4), FVC z-scores -2.4(±1.6) and FEV1/FVC z-score -3.1(±2.4). Corticosteroids were used during initial presentation in 92% of patients. Seventy six percent of patients required two or more hospital admissions. Cough (43%) and wheeze (39%) were the commonest reported current symptoms. Lung function impairment was associated with younger age at first presentation and recurrent hospital admissions. Children with higher BMI at presentation had higher FEV1/FVC z-score in later life. Improvement of symptoms over time was reported among 82% of patients. Conclusion: PIBO is a relatively common cause of chronic lung disease in South African children, with adenovirus being the commonest preceding illness. Symptoms of airway obstruction persist over time, but showed improvement with treatment, which included corticosteroids.

Background Cystic fibrosis (CF) is described more commonly in Caucasian populations in whom p.Phe508del is the most common mutation. There is a paucity of data of CF in black African children. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the presentation and outcomes of black African children with CF to those with p.Phe508del genotype. Methods A retrospective case-controlled study was conducted from January 2000 – March 2018 of children with CF attending two CF centres in South Africa. Presentation, genotype, nutrition and pulmonary function outcomes of black African children were compared to matched controls with the p.Phe508del mutation. Results Thirty-four black African children (cases) with median age of diagnosis (5.5 months, IQR 2.0- 15.0) were matched to 34 controls. Among cases, 3120+1G->A CFTR mutation was most commonly identified; homozygous n=22 (64.7%) and heterozygous=7(20.5%). Compared to controls, cases at diagnosis were more malnourished and fewer presented with neonatal bowel obstruction [cases n=2 (5.9%) vs. controls n=10 (29.4%); p = 0.03]. Nutrition and pulmonary function (FEV1 in children ≥ 6 years) outcomes and changes over time from ages 3-16 years were similar in both groups; median FEV1 z-score at age 6,10 and 14 years was -0.9 (±1.5), -1.8 (±2.0) and -1.8 (±1.9) respectively for all patients. Deaths were recorded in three cases (8.8%) and one control (2.9%) (p = 0.6). Conclusion Black African children with CF were more malnourished at diagnosis, and fewer presented with neonatal bowel obstruction. Cases and controls had comparable nutritional, pulmonary function and early mortality outcomes.

Includes bibliographical references. / Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are dual epidemics and a public health crisis in Southern Africa. An estimated 2.5 million children are living with HIV, of which 2.3 million live in Sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 230 000 child deaths from AIDS. In 2010 there were an estimated 8 million incident cases of tuberculosis (TB) globally, 1.2 million amongst people living with HIV. Over 1 million TB related deaths occurred, a third of which occurred amongst people living with HIV.[4] The African region accounts for 26% of the global TB burden and 82% of the TB cases among people living with HIV. TB and HIV are a deleterious combination. TB is a common cause of acute and chronic respiratory disease and a leading cause of death amongst HIV infected children in TB endemic areas.