Zero to Finals

A baby born to a mother with detectable hepatitis C RNA needs age-appropriate testing and clear family advice. RNA testing can diagnose earlier, while antibody testing before 18 months may reflect maternal antibodies rather than infant infection.

A child with blood or bodily fluid exposure, or a newborn of a hepatitis B positive mother, needs transmission route and serology kept clear. Surface antigen, antibody, E antigen and DNA answer different questions about active infection, immunity, infectivity and viral load.

Vomiting and diarrhoea are common, but hydration risk, isolation and stool testing still need structure. Exposure timing can point to norovirus, Campylobacter, Bacillus cereus or giardiasis, while possible E. coli O157 makes antibiotic restraint clinically important.

Painful parotid swelling after a flu-like prodrome should bring mumps into view, even before complications appear. Key checks include MMR history, oral fluid PCR, supportive care, notification, and screening for abdominal, testicular or neurological symptoms.

Pertussis can be easy to miss when the classic whoop is absent. This concise review anchors the timeline from coryzal symptoms to paroxysmal cough, and links swab timing, macrolides, exclusion advice and vulnerable contacts to transmission control.

Adolescents and young adults with sore throat, fatigue and posterior cervical lymphadenopathy need EBV in the differential. The clinically useful details are testing timing, the amoxicillin rash clue, splenomegaly checks, alcohol advice and contact sport restriction.

Headache, fever, altered consciousness, unusual behaviour or seizures need a neurological infection pathway in view. Open this for herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus and cytomegalovirus encephalitis, lumbar puncture viral PCR, MRI brain, antiviral matching and longer-term cognitive or behavioural follow-up.

Fever, neck stiffness, vomiting, headache, photophobia or non-blanching rash make this the place to begin. It keeps suspected bacterial meningitis time-critical, with urgent transfer, antibiotics, lumbar puncture contraindications, paired blood glucose and CSF interpretation held together.

Fever in a child with lethargy, poor intake, reduced urine output, mottled or ashen appearance, or a non-blanching rash makes this the first listen. It ties sepsis recognition to ABCDE assessment, senior support, cultures, intravenous antibiotics and cautious fluid boluses with reassessment.

Routine immunisation is a moving schedule, so age-matching matters before reassurance or administration. The quick check is live-vaccine caution in immunocompromised children, HPV cancer prevention before exposure, BCG for increased tuberculosis risk and MenB fever advice up to 48 hours.