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Streptococcal Pharyngitis in a Two-Month-Old Infant: A Case Report
Mohammad Reza Sharif1, Marzieh Aalinezhad2, Seyyed Mohammad Sajad Sajadian1
1Trauma Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran.
Insights
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis is rare in infants. However, this case highlights the importance of considering GAS pharyngitis in infants with symptoms, especially when parents are also infected.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a common cause of bacterial pharyngitis in children aged 5-15.
- GAS pharyngitis is considered uncommon in children under three and rare in infants.
Observation:
- A 62-day-old infant presented with fever and poor feeding.
- Clinical examination revealed fever, submandibular lymphadenopathy, pharyngeal erythema, and tonsillar exudates.
- Throat culture confirmed Streptococcus pyogenes, and the infant's mother had similar symptoms and a positive culture.
Findings:
- The infant was diagnosed with Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis.
- This case represents a rare occurrence of GAS pharyngitis in an infant.
Implications:
- While GAS pharyngitis is rare in young children, it should be considered in infants presenting with relevant symptoms, particularly if parents have similar signs and a confirmed infection.
- Early diagnosis and consideration of GAS pharyngitis in infants can be crucial for appropriate management.
Introduction:
Group A β-hemolytic Streptococcus is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis among 5 - 15-year-old children, but it is uncommon in children less than three years old and rarely happens in infants less than one year old.
Case Presentation:
The patient was a 62-day-old female infant who presented with fever and poor feeding since two days before admission. At the time of admission, the patient was febrile and ill. Upon examination, a rectal temperature of 38.5°C, multiple right-sided submandibular lymphadenopathies, pharyngeal erythema, and tonsillar exudates were detected. Twenty-four hours after the throat swab was collected and cultured, Streptococcus pyogenes grew on a sheep blood agar medium. The patient's mother, who also experienced similar symptoms, had a positive throat swab culture for S. pyogenes.
Conclusions:
Although Streptococcal pharyngitis is rare in children less than three years old and the necessity of treatment is not well clarified, in case of streptococcal infection in parents and the occurrence of similar signs and symptoms in their child, considering S. pharyngitis as a possible differential diagnosis seems rational.
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