A Severe Systemic Infection in a 14-Year-Old Boy That Took Place during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a global talking point. Access to health care has become more difficult, and such an obstacle increase the risk of inadequate medical care, especially among paediatric patients. Case: This report describes the case of a previously healthy teenager who was staying home for 2 months due to a strict lockdown period in the COVID-19 pandemic and was admitted to hospital for fever, nausea and lumbar pain. He was diagnosed consecutively with meningitis, sepsis, paraspinal abscesses and endocarditis. Further investigation did not reveal any risk factors or immunodeficiency in the patient. Discussion: Sepsis is defined as the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) associated with a probable or documented infection. It is the leading cause of death from infection, especially if not recognized and treated quickly. Sepsis may lead to various complications, such as infective endocarditis, meningitis and abscesses. Although such complications may initially be latent, they can promote internal organ dysfunction and the possibility of their presence should be considered in any patient with systemic infection. Any child with a fever should be treated as one with the possibility of developing a severe infection. Conclusion: The presented case shows that even a previously healthy child staying in long-term home isolation can develop a severe infection with multiorgan complications, and the COVID-19 pandemic should not extend the diagnostic process in patients with symptoms of infection.

Keywords

• systemic infection
• self-isolation
• endocarditis
• meningitis
• muscle abscess