Neonatal suppurative submandibular sialadenitis: a rare clinical entity

Submandibular sialadenitis is very rare in the neonatal age group. Only four cases of isolated submandibular gland infection without the involvement of the parotid gland have been reported in the literature up to the present time. We present a case of a premature newborn infant who developed fever and right submandibular swelling when he was 8 days old. Pus was found extruding from Wharton's duct. The pus culture yielded Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient was treated conservatively with adequate hydration and intravenous ceftazidime for 14 days and the infection resolved. The possible predisposing factors were dehydration and prematurity. CT scan revealed no calculi and no anatomic derangement. Two months follow-up showed no evidence of recurrence. Previous literature is reviewed and discussed.