"Inflammatory peritonitis in a child with COVID-19″

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neonatal Surgery

Background:

• Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of COVID-19 are documented in children, but are less common than respiratory symptoms.
• Acute abdomen presentations in pediatric COVID-19 cases are exceptionally rare in existing literature.

Observation:

• A 6-month-old infant presented with symptoms indicative of intestinal obstruction and generalized peritonitis.
• No obvious cause for the acute abdominal condition was initially apparent.

Findings:

• The infant tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via rt-PCR.
• This is the first reported case of SARS-CoV-2 presenting as an acute abdomen with intestinal obstruction and peritonitis in an infant.

Implications:

• Clinicians should consider SARS-CoV-2 infection in infants presenting with acute abdominal symptoms, even without typical respiratory signs.
• This case expands the spectrum of known pediatric COVID-19 presentations.
• Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms linking SARS-CoV-2 to severe pediatric gastrointestinal complications.