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Review
. 2021 Aug 17;21(1):353.
doi: 10.1186/s12887-021-02814-w.

What is beyond Salmonella gastroenteritis? A case of acute pancreatitis complicating Salmonella infection in a child: a case report and literature review

Salwa Al Kaabi  1 , Aysha Al Kaabi  2 , Hasa Al Nuaimi  3
Affiliations
Review

What is beyond Salmonella gastroenteritis? A case of acute pancreatitis complicating Salmonella infection in a child: a case report and literature review

Salwa Al Kaabi et al. BMC Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: Salmonella infection presents itself in a wide variety of ways, ranging from mild self-limited illness to severe systemic disease with multiorgan involvement. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a very rare complication that is associated with Salmonella infection, especially among the pediatric population.

Case presentation: A five-year-old boy presented with a two-day fever and experienced vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The boy was admitted as a case of acute gastroenteritis, and Salmonella was found in his stool culture. The severity of his abdominal pain during his hospital stay indicated the possibility of AP. A clinical examination and blood workup were performed and showed significant elevation in amylase and lipase, which confirmed the diagnosis of AP.

Conclusion: Although abdominal pain is a common presentation of Salmonella infection, the possibility of AP must be considered when the pain is severe and the characteristics of the pain are suggestive of AP. Herein, we report a case of AP complicating Salmonella infection in an immunocompetent child.

Keywords: Amylase; Lipase; Pancreatitis; Salmonella gastroenteritis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding this article’s content.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Abdominal US showing a small amount of free fluid (20 ml) in the lower abdomen (mainly in the left lower quadrant)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Abdominal Xray showing gas distension of the transverse colon
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Trend in the pancreatic enzymes amylase and lipase over the course of the patient’s hospital stay
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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