Acute Q fever pericarditis followed by chronic hepatitis in a two-year-old girl

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever, a zoonotic illness.
• Acute Q fever is usually mild, presenting with fever, pneumonia, or hepatitis.
• Chronic Q fever most commonly manifests as endocarditis.

Observation:

• A 2-year-old child presented with symptoms of acute Q fever.
• The child developed acute pericarditis and cardiac tamponade.
• Subsequently, the child progressed to a chronic hepatic infection.

Findings:

• This case demonstrates an unusual presentation of Q fever in a pediatric patient.
• The patient experienced severe cardiac complications (pericarditis, tamponade) during the acute phase.
• A chronic hepatic infection developed, diverging from typical chronic Q fever manifestations.

Implications:

• This case expands the spectrum of clinical presentations for Coxiella burnetii infection in children.
• It underscores the importance of considering Q fever in pediatric patients with unexplained pericarditis and cardiac tamponade.
• Further research may be needed to understand the mechanisms behind chronic hepatic involvement in pediatric Q fever.