A 3-Year-Old With Fever and Abdominal Pain: Availability Bias in the Time of COVID-19

Diagnostic bias during the COVID-19. A rare case report of salmonella typhi

Introduction

In poor countries, due to the limited resources, mostly they prescribe medications without proper diagnosis. The aim of this report is to show diagnostic bias of COVID-19 case.

Case presentation

A 17-year-old male patient was presented to the Hospital with a fever up to 39 °C associated with rigor, sweating, generalized body pain, myalgia, fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, and multiple joint pain with no swelling and redness. The vital signs were steady on physical examination, except temperature which was 39 °C. The chest was clear, and the pulse rate was 90 beats per minute. The heart rate relative bradycardia and lungs were normal. Both a PCR test for COVID-19, and a viral assay ELISA were negative. After further investigations, the culture findings revealed the strong development of Gram-negative coccobacilli (Salmonella serotype Typhi) bacteria under the microscope, which was confirmed by using VITEK 2 to identify it. and treated with ciprofloxacin tab, two times per day for five days and amikacin ampule 500 mg IV every 24 hours for 10 days.

Discussion

Fever is a well-known sign of COVID-19 infection which has been observed in 83%–98% of patients with COVID19. As a result, it may be difficult to tell the difference between COVID-19 and other febrile infections, causing delays in diagnosis and treatment and may blind the physician from considering other febrile illnesses.

Conclusion

Physicians should construct more comprehensive differential diagnoses for people who experience fever, headache, or myalgia symptoms that are linked to a pandemic. COVID-19.

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Differential diagnosis of patients with persistent Covid-19 sign should be considered.

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lack awareness of typhoid fever can lead to diagnostic bias during the COVID-19.

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Direct medical history and exposure can help clinicians to investigate of illnesses.