The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal (PIDJ)
Online Submission and Review System

SCOPE
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal directed to physicians and other health care professionals who manage infectious diseases of childhood.

Instructions for Authors (this page)
Copyright Transfer (PDF)
Reprint Ordering
Permissions Requests
ePrints
Reprints

Ethical/Legal Considerations

A submitted manuscript must be an original contribution not previously published (except as an abstract or preliminary report), must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere, and, if accepted, must not be published elsewhere in similar form, in any language, without the consent of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Each person listed as an author is expected to have participated in the study to a significant extent. Although the editors and referees make every effort to ensure the validity of published manuscripts, the final responsibility rests with the authors, not with the journal, its editors, or the publisher. All manuscripts must be submitted on-line through the journal's web site at http://pidj.edmgr.com/. See submission instructions under "On-line manuscript submission."

Patient anonymity and informed consent: It is the author's responsibility to ensure that a patient's anonymity be carefully protected and to verify that any experimental investigation with human subjects reported in the manuscript was performed with informed consent and following all the guidelines for experimental investigation with human subjects required by the institu- tion(s) with which all the authors are affiliated. Authors should mask patients' eyes or, if the eye area is the focus of the illustration, the patient's nose and mouth, and they should remove patients' names from figures unless written consent obtained from the patients is submitted with the manuscript.

Copyright: All authors must sign a copy of the journal's "Authorship Responsibility, Financial Disclosures, and Copyright Transfer" form and submit it at the time of manuscript submission.

Compliance with NIH and Other Research Funding Agency Accessibility Requirements
A number of research funding agencies now require or request authors to submit the post-print (the article after peer review and acceptance but not the final published article) to a repository that is accessible online by all without charge. As a service to our authors, LWW will identify to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) articles that require deposit and will transmit the post-print of an article based on research funded in whole or in part by the National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or other funding agencies to PubMed Central. The revised Copyright Transfer Agreement provides the mechanism.

Permissions: Authors must submit written permission from the copyright owner (usually the publisher) to use direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in copyrighted form elsewhere, along with complete details about the source. Any permissions fees that might be required by the copyright owner are the responsibility of the authors requesting use of the borrowed material, not the responsibility of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Preparation of Manuscript

Manuscripts that do not adhere to the following instructions are returned to the corresponding author for technical revision before undergoing peer review. Also, to streamline the review process, on reviewing newly submitted manuscripts, we will identify those that do not meet the mission of the journal, provide no new information or insights into management of infectious diseases or are of more local importance and better suited for a regional journal and return them immediately to the authors to allow them to submit their work elsewhere in a timely fashion.

Manuscript Submission

On-line manuscript submission: All manuscripts must be submitted on-line through the new web site at http://pidj.edmgr. com/. First-time users: Please click the Register button from the menu above and enter the requested information. On successful registration, you will be sent an E-mail indicating your user name and password. Print a copy of this information for future reference. Note: If you have received an E-mail from us with an assigned user ID and password, or if you are a repeat user, do not register again. Just log in. Once you have an assigned ID and password, you do not have to re-register, even if your status changes (that is, author, reviewer, or editor). If you experience any problems, please contact Brittany Peters, Journal Manager, at PIDJ@utsouthwestern.edu, Ph 214-648-2520, Fax 214- 648-2961.

Authors: Please click the log-in- button from the menu at the top of the page and on the next screen log into the system as an Author. Submit your manuscript according to the author instructions. You will be able to track the progress of your manuscript through the system. If you experience any problems, please contact Amy Newman, Journal Manager, at PIDJ@utsouthwestern.edu, Ph 214-648-2520, Fax 214- 648-2961. Requests for help and other questions will be addressed in the order received. To submit a completed manuscript, the following documents are required: Cover Letter, Title Page, Abstract, and Manuscript. Tables and figures are optional. Each portion of the manuscript must be submitted as separate documents (i.e. cover letter, title page, abstract, manuscript, tables and figures all saved as separate files). The text documents, cover letter, title page, abstract and manuscript are to be uploaded as Microsoft Word documents. Tables are to be created in Microsoft Word also. Excel tables will not load properly. All figures should be TIFF, EPS or PowerPoint files.

General format: Submit manuscripts in English. Double space all copy, including legends, footnotes, tables, and references. Use a common font such as Arial or Times Roman in size 12. Enumerate all pages of the manuscript, beginning with the Title Page as page 1, and follow in sequence to the abstract, manuscript and all other attachments. If you are unfamiliar with numbering, you can search HELP while in Microsoft Word, and it will show in detail how to number all pages.

Title page: Title page must be submitted as a separate file. Include on the title page: (a) complete manuscript title; (b) authors' full names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations; (c) name and address for correspondence, including Fax number, telephone number, and E-mail address; (d) address for reprints if different from that of corresponding author (indicate whether reprints are available); and (e) all sources of support, including pharmaceutical and industry support, that require acknowledgment; (f) list three to five key words for indexing; (g) an abbreviated title of 55 characters or less used for the cover of the journal; (h) a running head title of 44 characters or less including spaces used for page headings on the pages in which your article is published.

The title page must also include disclosure of funding received for this work from any of the following organizations: National Institutes of Health (NIH); Wellcome Trust; Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI); and other(s).

Structured abstract for Original Studies and Supplement Articles: Abstracts must be submitted as a separate file. Limit the abstract to 250 words. Do not cite references in the abstract. Limit the use of abbreviations and acronyms. Use the following subheads: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions (others may be added as needed).

Unstructured abstract for Instructive Cases and Brief Reports: Abstract must be submitted as a separate file. Limit the abstract to 60 words. It must be factual and comprehensive. Limit the use of abbreviations and acronyms, and avoid general statements (e.g. "the significance of the results is discussed").

Text: Organize the manuscript into four main headings, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion. If a brand name is cited, supply the manufacturer's name and address (city and state/country).

Abbreviations: For a list of standard abbreviations, consult the American Medical Association Manual of Style, 9th edition, or other standard sources. Write out the full term for each abbreviation at its first use unless it is a standard unit of measure. Abbreviations are allowed only if used three times or more in text.

References: The authors are responsible for the accuracy of the references. Key the references (double-spaced) at the end of the manuscript. Cite the references in text in the order of appearance, including those references cited in tables and figure legends at the chronological citation of the tables and figures in text. Cite unpublished data, such as papers submitted but not yet accepted for publication or personal communications, in parentheses in the text. If there are more than six authors, name only the first three authors and then use et al. Refer to the List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus for abbreviations of journal names, or access the list at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/tsd/ serials/lji.html. Sample references are given below.

Journal article
1. Trujillo M, Correa N, Olsen K, et al. Cefprozil concentrations in middle ear fluid. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2000;19:268 –270.

Book chapter
2. Grose C. Bacterial myositis and pyomyositis. In: Feigin RD, Cherry JD, eds. Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1998:704 – 708.

Entire book
3. Nelson JD, Bradley JS. Nelson's Pocket Book of Pediatric Antimicrobial Therapy. 14th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000.

Proceedings
4. Harrigan PR, Dong W, Weber AE, et al. Highly mutated RT and protease [Abstract I-115]. In: 38th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, San Diego, CA, September 24 to 27, 1998. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology; 1998.

Online journals
5. Friedman SA. Preeclampsia. Obstet Gynecol. [serial online]. January 1988;71:22–37. Available from: BRS Information Technologies, McLean, VA. Accessed December 15, 1990.

World Wide Web
6. Gostin LO. Drug use and HIV/AIDS [JAMA HIV/AIDS web site]. June 1, 1996. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ special/hiv/ethics. Accessed June 26, 1997.

Figures: Cite figures consecutively in the text in the order in which they are discussed. All art should be created/scanned and saved and submitted as a TIFF (tagged image file format), EPS (encapsulated PostScript) file, or a PPT (PowerPoint) file. Line art must have a resolution of at least 1200 dpi (dots per inch), and electronic photographs (radiographs, CT scans, and so on) and scanned images must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi. If fonts are used in artwork, they must be converted to paths or outlines or they must be embedded in the files. Please note that artwork generated from office suite programs such as Corel Draw and MS Word and artwork downloaded from the Internet (JPEG or GIFF files) cannot be used. When preparing charts and graphs, authors are encouraged to use the same font (size and style of type) for all numbers and letters.

Figure legends: Include legends for all figures. They should be brief and specific, and they should appear on a separate manuscript page after the references. Legends should be part of the manuscript file on the disk. Use scale markers in the image for electron micrographs, and indicate the type of stain used.

Color figures: The journal accepts for publication color figures that enhance an article. Authors who submit color figures receive an estimate of the cost for color reproduction. If they decide not to pay for color reproduction, they can request that the figures be converted to black and white at no charge.

Supplemental Digital Content: Authors may submit supplemental digital content to enhance their article's text and to be considered for online-only posting. Supplemental digital content may include the following types of content: text documents, graphs, tables, figures, graphics, illustrations, audio, and video. Cite all supplemental digital content consecutively in the text. Citations should include the type of material submitted, should be clearly labeled as Supplemental Digital Content, should include a sequential number, and should provide a brief description of the supplemental content. Provide a legend of supplemental digital content at the end of the text. List each legend in the order in which the material is cited in the text. The legends must be numbered to match the citations from the text. Include a title and a brief summary of the content. For audio and video files, also include the author name, videographer, participants, length (minutes), and size (MB). Authors should mask patients' eyes and remove patients' names from supplemental digital content unless they obtain written consent from the patients and submit written consent with the manuscript. Copyright and Permission forms for article content including supplemental digital content must be completed at the time of submission. Supplemental Digital Content Size & File Type Requirements: To ensure a quality experience for those viewing supplemental digital content, it is suggested that authors submit supplemental digital files no larger than 10 MB each. Documents, graphs, and tables may be presented in any format. Figures, graphics, and illustrations should be submitted with the following file extensions: .tif, .eps, .ppt, .jpg, .pdf, .gif. Audio files should be submitted with the following file extensions: .mp3, .wma. Video files should be submitted with the following file extensions: .wmv, .mov, .qt, .mpg, .mpeg, .mp4. Video files should also be formatted with a 320 X 240 pixel minimum screen size. For more information, please review LWW's requirements for submitting supplemental digital content: http://links.lww.com/A142

Tables: Create tables usng the table creating and editing feature of your word processing software (e.g., Word, WordPerfect). Do not use Excel or comparable spreadsheet programs. Group all tables in a separate file. Cite tables consecutively in the text, and number them in that order. Key each on a separate sheet, and include the table title, appropriate column heads, and explanatory legends (including definitions of any abbreviation not already defined in the text). Do not embed tables within the body of the manuscript. They should be self-explanatory and should supplement, rather than duplicate, the material in the text. In each table, the genus of each genus-species must be written out at its first appearance.

Style: Stedman's Medical Dictionary (27th edition) and Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition) should be used as standard references. Refer to drugs and therapeutic agents by their accepted generic or chemical names, and do not abbreviate them. Use code numbers only when a generic name is not yet available. Capitalize the trade names of drugs and place them in parentheses after the generic names. To comply with trademark law, include the name and location (city and state/country) of the manufacturer of any drug, supply, or equipment mentioned in the manuscript. Use the metric system to express units of measure and degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit consistently throughout the manuscript to express temperatures, and use SI units rather than conventional units. Abbreviate "liter" in such forms as "3 units/L" and "5 mL"; write out when used alone (10 liters; 0.5-liter gavage). See also Day RA, ed. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper. 5th ed. Phoenix, AZ: The Oryx Press, 1998.

Brief Reports: Papers for this section should be no longer than 5–6 double-spaced typed manuscript pages (fewer than 1500 words), 10 references and 1 figure or table.

Letters to the Editors: Letters to the Editors should pertain to articles published within the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. or highlight important new clinical or laboratory insights. Text should contain 500 words or fewer and less than 5 references.

Financial disclosure: In the cover letter, indicate all affiliations with or financial involvement in any organization or entity with a direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials of the research discussed in the manuscript (e.g. employment, consultancies, stock ownership). All such information will be held in confidence during the review process. Should the manuscript be accepted, the Chief Editors will discuss with the author the extent of disclosure appropriate for publication.

After Acceptance

Page proofs and corrections: Corresponding authors receive page proofs to check the copyedited and typeset article before publication. Portable document format (PDF) files of the typeset pages and support documents (e.g., reprint order form) are sent to the corresponding author by E-mail. Complete instructions are provided with the E-mail for downloading and printing the files and for faxing the corrected page proofs to the publisher. Those authors without an E-mail address receive traditional page proofs. It is the author's responsibility to ensure that there are no errors in the proofs. Changes that have been made to conform to journal style stand if they do not alter the authors' meaning. Only the most critical changes to the accuracy of the content are made. Changes that are stylistic or are a reworking of previously accepted material are disallowed. The publisher reserves the right to deny any changes that do not affect the accuracy of the content. Authors may be charged for alterations to the proofs beyond those required to correct errors or to answer queries. Proofs must be checked carefully and returned within 24 to 48 hours of receipt, as requested in the cover letter accompanying the page proofs.

Reprints: Authors receive a reprint order form with the page proofs that includes reprint costs. Reprint order forms should be returned to Author Reprint Department, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 351 West Camden Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-2436. Reprints are normally shipped 6 to 8 weeks after publication of the issue in which the item appears. Contact the Author Reprint Department, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 351 W. Camden Street, Baltimore, MD 21201; Fax: 410-528-4434; E-mail: reprints@lww.com with any questions.

Publisher's contact: Send corrected page proofs, color proofs, and any other related materials to Journal Production Editor, The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, Cadmus Professional Communications, 8621 Robert Fulton Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21046.

Manuscript Checklist (before submission)