Intestinal injuries missed by computed tomography: Sherck JP, Oakes DD J Trauma 30:1–7 Jan 1990

✍ Scribed by Cynthia L Elliott

• Book ID: 104310997
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 215 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(05)82214-0

✦ Synopsis

A prospective study was undertaken to determine the etiology of infection in 233 previously healthy infants less than 3 months old who were hospitalized for suspected sepis. Routine data collected for each patient included CBC; urinalysis; and blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine cultures, as well as viral cultures and specimens for viral antigen collection. A causative organism was detected in 157 infants (67%). Twenty-three (10%) had bacterial infection, and 138 (59%) had viral infection. Four infants had concomitant viral-bacterial infection. Nine infants had bacteremia, and four had bacterial meningitis. Viral infections were noted to occur in a seasonal pattern, with respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A isolated most in the winter, and enterovirus isolated most during summer and fall. Two thirds of the viral infections were isolated within three days of admission. Respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A could be identified by rapid immunofluorescent antibody test, with 86% found by 24 hours. Enterovirus isolation required cell culture for diagnosis, a costly and time-consuming procedure. The authors concluded that viral infections occur frequently in infants hospitalized for suspected sepsis and that these can be detected early enough to influence patient management.