Kid experts perform weekly monitoring for RSV, other viral illness activity
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Children’s Minnesota Infection Prevention & Control is using lab-confirmed pathogen surveillance data from Children’s Minnesota Minneapolis and St. Paul inpatients units, emergency departments and primary care clinics to monitor viral activity. This information is reported weekly to help providers in the organization understand trends in the community.
Currently, RSV levels are lower than they were at this time last year, but are starting to climb. The 2023-2024 viral season is expected to be more manageable if people embrace new vaccines for adults and children that are known to effectively prevent the most serious cases of these viral diseases and supply is available, including:
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- Influenza vaccine
- COVID vaccine or booster
- RSV monoclonal antibody product for babies under 8 months old and some infants and young children between the ages of 8-19 months who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease (Beyfortus).
- In the context of limited supply during the 2023-2024 RSV season, CDC recommends prioritizing available nirsevimab (Beyfortus) for infants at the highest risk for severe RSV disease: young infants (age <6 months) and infants with underlying conditions that place them at highest risk for severe RSV disease.
- RSV vaccine for pregnant mothers (Abryvso) and adults aged 60+ (Arexvy).
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View the current viral pathogen weekly report here.
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Children’s Minnesota re-verified as Level I Children’s Surgery Center by ACS
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Children’s Minnesota has been re-verified as a Level I Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Level I is the highest distinction given by the ACS to health systems that perform complex surgical procedures on unborn babies, newborns, children and teens. This re-verification is valid until November 2025 and applies to Children’s Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis and outpatient surgery center in Minnetonka.
The ACS first verified Children’s Minnesota as a Level I Children’s Surgery Center in 2018, making the organization the first hospital system in the state to earn this distinction. Read the full article here.
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Novel drug is potential game changer for acute lymphoblastic leukemia
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Dr. Stuart S. Winter, chief of research and medical innovation at Children’s Minnesota, and Dr. Peter Gordon, a colleague from the University of Minnesota, were recently awarded grants to advance a new antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Dr. Joseph Muretta, also from the University of Minnesota, will play a key investigative role on the grant from the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Foundation (HHOW).
A funded R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will focus on establishing the efficacy of the newly created ADC, which has high affinity and high avidity for VpreB1. VpreB1 is commonly expressed in B-ALL. A funded HHOW grant will be used to create and test new immunotherapeutic molecules designed to interfere with pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) signaling.
ALL, a cancer that affects the white blood cells of the bone marrow, is the most common leukemia diagnosed in children and young adults. Read more about the new ADC and research here.
The Children’s Minnesota Research Institute is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of pediatric research. Our kid experts are constantly exploring new avenues for diagnosing and treating childhood illnesses. Visit our Research Institute for more information.
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Pediatric otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery expands in Ethiopia thanks to new fellowship
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Two kid experts from Children’s Minnesota’s ear, nose and throat (ENT) and facial plastic surgery program created new access to life-changing care for children with cleft lip, cleft palates, and other head and neck malformations in Ethiopia through a first-of-its-kind fellowship.
Under the leadership of Dr. Siva Chinnadurai, pediatric otolaryngologist at Children’s Minnesota and M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital and board chair of Children's Surgery International (CSI), the first Pediatric Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship in Ethiopia has been launched in collaboration with Bahir Dar University. Dr. Brianne Roby, pediatric otolaryngologist at Children's Minnesota and board member at CSI, collaborated with the fellowship development.
Read about the new fellowship here.
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Sexual health: Prevention, treatment of HIV and STIs in the pediatric clinic
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While prevention and treatment options for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections) have improved dramatically in recent decades, one-fifth (21%) of newly diagnosed people with HIV in the U.S. annually are adolescents and young adults.
Pediatric clinicians play an important role in conversations with adolescents and teens about sexual health, STIs and HIV – and prescribing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). In the Talking Pediatrics episode, “What pediatric clinicians should know about PrEP,” host Dr. Angela Goepferd and Dr. Katy Miller, medical director of the adolescent health program at Children’s Minnesota, share their thoughts about how to educate young patients to prevent STIs and stay safe.
Read about this episode here.
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Talking Pediatrics podcast
Join us as we bring intriguing stories and relevant pediatric health care information and partner with you in the care of your patients. Our guests, data, ideas and practical tips will surprise, challenge and perhaps change how you care for kids.
Listen to the previously recorded Talking Pediatrics:
"Wearables, Smartphones and More: What's New in Diabetes Management?"
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Join our team
We are committed to improving children’s health by providing the highest quality, family-centered care advanced through research and education. Are you ready to join The Kid Experts?
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