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Schlegelmilch M, Stewart D, MacDougall W, Kanji JN. Case series of infants presenting to the emergency department with fever, bulging anterior fontanelle and COVID-19 infection. Am J Emerg Med 2024; 82:214.e5-214.e6. [PMID: 38866626 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a three patient case series of infants who presented to the pediatric emergency department with fever, bulging anterior fontanelle (BAF), and an omicron variant COVID-19 infection. All patients had a benign course, none developed meningitis, and all had symptom resolution after two days. Considerations for neuroimaging and lumbar puncture are discussed. This case series adds to the previously published case reports of infants with COVID-19, fever and BAF and further describes a variant in the presenting symptomology of COVID-19 infection in infants under 12 months. Acute and primary care providers who treat infants should consider COVID-19 testing in patients who are well appearing, with fever and BAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schlegelmilch
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Dana Stewart
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - William MacDougall
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jamil N Kanji
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada; Section of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada; Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, AB, Canada
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Kuroda H, Kusama Y, Ogura A, Matsunaga T, Atsumi Y, Kamimura K. An Infant With COVID-19 Presenting With a Bulging Fontanel: A Case Report and Literature Review. Cureus 2024; 16:e63667. [PMID: 39092398 PMCID: PMC11293365 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.63667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
A bulging fontanel is a sign of elevated intracranial pressure, which can be caused by diseases with intracranial fluid retention or swelling of the cerebral parenchyma. We experienced a case of an infant with a typical course of mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but with a bulging fontanel as a finding at presentation. The patient, a three-month-old boy with no underlying conditions, presented to the emergency clinic with fever, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Due to the absence of crying and the bulging fontanel, he was referred to our hospital with suspected bacterial meningitis. The diameter of the anterior fontanel was 2.5 cm, as measured by the Popich and Smith method. He showed no signs of consciousness impairment and appeared to be as active as usual. Computed tomography revealed a bulging fontanel. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed no elevated cell counts, and cultures were negative. Accordingly, bacterial meningitis was ruled out. The fever resolved on the day after admission, and the patient was discharged on the third day after admission in good general condition. When an infant diagnosed with COVID-19 presents with a bulging fontanel, it is important to be aware of its low specificity and excessive antibiotic treatment should be reconsidered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Kuroda
- Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center, Amagasaki, JPN
| | - Yoshiki Kusama
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka University Hospital, Suita, JPN
| | - Ayu Ogura
- Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center, Amagasaki, JPN
| | - Takashi Matsunaga
- Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center, Amagasaki, JPN
| | - Yukari Atsumi
- Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center, Amagasaki, JPN
| | - Katsunori Kamimura
- Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center, Amagasaki, JPN
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Vivisenco IC, Lescaie A, Dragomirescu A, Ioniță IC, Florescu I, Ciocea B, Grama AR, Crăciun MD, Chivu CD, Ulmeanu CE, Nițescu VG. Neurological Manifestations of Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pediatric Patients: A 3-Year Study on Differences between Pandemic Waves. Viruses 2024; 16:967. [PMID: 38932259 PMCID: PMC11209294 DOI: 10.3390/v16060967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study analyzed the neurological manifestation profiles of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection across pandemic waves in pediatric patients. The study collected data on patients aged between 0 and 18 years, diagnosed with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted to a pediatric tertiary hospital between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2023. This study included 1677 patients. Neurological manifestations were noted in 10% (n = 168) of patients with a median age of 3.2 years (interquartile range: 1-11.92). Neurological manifestations were significantly associated with the pandemic waves (p = 0.006) and age groups (p < 0.001). Seizures were noted in 4.2% of cases and reached an increasing frequency over time (p = 0.001), but were not associated with age groups. Febrile seizures accounted for the majority of seizures. Headache was reported in 2.6% of cases and had similar frequencies across the pandemic waves and age groups. Muscular involvement was noted in 2% of cases, reached a decreasing frequency over time (p < 0.001), and showed different frequencies among the age groups. Neurological manifestations of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibit distinct patterns, depending on the pandemic wave and patient age group. The Wuhan and Omicron waves involved the nervous system more often than the other waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iolanda Cristina Vivisenco
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Faculty of Dentistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.V.); (A.R.G.); (C.E.U.); (V.G.N.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
| | - Andreea Lescaie
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Faculty of Dentistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.V.); (A.R.G.); (C.E.U.); (V.G.N.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
| | - Ana Dragomirescu
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
| | - Ioana Cătălina Ioniță
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
| | - Irina Florescu
- Department of Neurology, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (I.F.); (B.C.)
| | - Bogdan Ciocea
- Department of Neurology, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (I.F.); (B.C.)
| | - Andreea Rodica Grama
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Faculty of Dentistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.V.); (A.R.G.); (C.E.U.); (V.G.N.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
| | - Maria-Dorina Crăciun
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (M.-D.C.); (C.-D.C.)
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Carmen-Daniela Chivu
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (M.-D.C.); (C.-D.C.)
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Coriolan Emil Ulmeanu
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Faculty of Dentistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.V.); (A.R.G.); (C.E.U.); (V.G.N.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
| | - Viorela Gabriela Nițescu
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Faculty of Dentistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Road, 010221 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.V.); (A.R.G.); (C.E.U.); (V.G.N.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, 30-32 Iancu de Hunedoara Road, 011743 Bucharest, Romania; (A.D.); (I.C.I.)
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Cimolai N. COVID-19 among infants: key clinical features and remaining controversies. Clin Exp Pediatr 2024; 67:1-16. [PMID: 38013408 PMCID: PMC10764668 DOI: 10.3345/cep.2023.00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Infants aged <1 year represent a seemingly more susceptible pediatric subset for infections. Despite this, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has not been proven as more serious in this age group (outside the very early neonatal period) than in others. Indeed, a considerable number of asymptomatic infections have been recorded, and the symptoms and morbidity associated with COVID- 19 differ minimally from those of other respiratory viral infections. Whether due to an abundance of caution or truly reduced susceptibility, infections in infants have not raised the same profile as those in other age groups. In addition to direct severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 diagnostic tests, laboratory markers that differentiate COVID-19 from other viral infections lack specificity in infants. Gastrointestinal presentations are common, and the neurological complications of infection mirror those of other respiratory viral infections. There have been relatively few reports of infant deaths. Under appropriate precautions, breastfeeding in the context of maternal infections has been associated with tangible but infrequent complications. Vaccination during pregnancy provides protection against infection in infants, at least in the early months of life. Multi-inflammatory syndrome in children and multi-inflammatory syndrome in neonates are commonly cited as variants of COVID-19; however, their clinical definitions remain controversial. Similarly, reliable definitions of long COVID in the infant group are controversial. This narrative review examines the key clinical and laboratory features of COVID-19 in infants and identifies several areas of science awaiting further clarification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevio Cimolai
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia and Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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