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First Case of an Infant with COVID-19 in the Middle East
Amani Mansour1, Rola Atoui2, Kamal Kanso1
1Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Lebanese University Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, LBN.
Insights
A pediatric case of COVID-19 in an infant presented with severe diarrhea and fever, not respiratory symptoms. This case suggests children may clear the novel coronavirus faster than adults.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic initially appeared to affect children less severely than adults.
- Limited data exists on COVID-19 presentation and progression in infants.
Observation:
- A 16-month-old infant presented with fever and severe diarrhea, testing positive for COVID-19.
- The infant had no initial respiratory symptoms; chest radiography revealed lobar consolidation and bronchial infiltrates.
- Blood culture identified *Streptococcus pneumoniae*; stool and urine cultures were negative.
Findings:
- The infant recovered and tested negative for COVID-19 via RT-PCR after five days of antibiotic treatment (ceftriaxone and metronidazole).
- This suggests a potentially faster viral clearance rate in children compared to adults.
- The infant likely contracted COVID-19 from parents concealing respiratory illness due to social stigma.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering COVID-19 in infants presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Findings provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of pediatric COVID-19 cases.
- Understanding transmission dynamics and symptom presentation in pediatric populations is crucial for public health strategies.
Abstract:
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared a worldwide pandemic. It was initially thought to spare children and adolescents as significantly smaller number of cases have been reported in the pediatric population in comparison to adults. Here, we report the case of a 16-month-old female infant from Lebanon who presented with fever and severe diarrhea and tested positive for COVID-19. Her symptoms started six days prior to presentation with no cough, rhinorrhea, or other respiratory manifestations reported. Chest radiography showed lobar consolidation and bronchial infiltrates. Blood culture was positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Stool and urine cultures were negative. She was treated with ceftriaxone and metronidazole. Her RT-PCR test was negative after five days of treatment, suggesting that children can clear the virus faster than adults. The patient likely contracted the virus from her parents, who because of the fear of social stigma hide recent history of respiratory illness. These findings serve as a practical reference for the clinical diagnosis and medical treatment of children with COVID-19.
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