In urban outpatient clinics in Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, and Zagreb, the current WHO clinical decision rule has high specificity, but low sensitivity. It did not detect up to 96% of children with lab-confirmed GABHS pharyngitis. A CDR with higher sensitivity should be developed for use in regions where rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are still major health problems. Arch of Dis Child 2005;90:1066-1070; doi:10.1136/adc.2004.069120

Children with Pf malaria and pneumonia were randomized to receive TS or SP plus E. A total of 87.2% of children receiving TS and 80.0% receiving SP plus E reached adequate responses. Severely malnourished children were less likely to respond. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 73(3), 2005, pp. 609-615

RCT in Pakistan. Children <5 years in households that received plain soap and handwashing promotion had a 50% lower incidence of pneumonia than controls. Children younger than 15 years in households with plain soap had a 53% lower incidence of diarrhoea and a 34% lower incidence of impetigo. Incidence of disease did not differ significantly between households given plain soap compared with those given antibacterial soap. The Lancet - Vol. 366, Issue 9481

Immune reconstitution syndrome caused by BCG was found in 4 HIV-infected children who were immunized with BCG at birth. Localized, suppurative, BCG-related complications developed within 10 weeks after starting antiretroviral therapy. The incidence rate was 2.7 cases per 100 persons (95% confidence interval, 0.7–6.7). Patients responded well to treatment with isoniazid and rifampicin. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005;41:1049-1052

Editorial. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005;41:1087-1088