PED-MERMAIDS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Multi-centre EuRopean study of MAjor Infectious Disease Syndromes (MERMAIDS): Community acquired sepsis-like syndrome and paediatric acute respiratory tract infection in childhood
IRAS ID
184837
Contact name
Malte Kohns
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Fondazione PENTA Onlus
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Multi-centre EuRopean study of Major Infectious Disease Syndromes– Community acquired Sepsis-like syndrome and Acute respiratory tract infection in childhood (PED-MERMAIDS)
Children can get really poorly from nasty bugs, which cause blood infections (known to doctors as sepsis) and chest infections. Often these children are so unwell they have to go to hospital. Rarely, long-term problems and even death can result from the infection.
In the past bacteria were the main causes for many severe infections; however, due to successful vaccine programmes, viruses are now mostly to blame. These bugs are worrying as they have the potential to cause a large-scale outbreak affecting the health of many people, as was the case in the recent world-wide Swine ‘flu outbreak.
A better understanding of the role of viruses will help us to diagnose and manage affected children and work out how to better respond to outbreaks.The European Commission is concerned about these infections and is funding a number of studies. Through this study we will look at the causes, symptoms, clinical management, impact and outcomes at lots of different sites across Europe.
The study will recruit:
1) Hospitalised infants (< 6 months old) with signs of blood infections
2) Hospitalised children (< 6 years old) with signs of chest infections
3) ‘Healthy’ children without disease as a control group
We will collect one-off samples on the day of admission, including nose swabs, urine, blood and stool samples, as well as any left-over cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), if taken as part of routine treatment, along with other information from the child’s medical notes. Only very few children with blood infections will have follow-up in one year. Excluding these children, the maximum duration children will be involved in the study will be 30 days, with the overall study running for up to 3 years.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0163
Date of REC Opinion
2 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion