Question

Case Study: A. Smith, a 1 year old boy, has had a fever of 102 for five days. Parents gave ibuprofen every 6 hours to relieve fever. He also had a runny nose and red eyes. The boy’s symptoms worsened 2 days after initial fever with a cough and fast breathing. He also had dry diapers and a decreased appetite. He was seen by his pediatrician, who diagnosed him with otitis media and started him on antibiotics. However, the next day, the boy has a small red rash on his cheek and the fever, cough and red eye continued. The rash continued to grow over 24 hours, and now includes most of his body. He was admitted to the hospital. Upon admission, a history revealed that the family had returned from Haiti 2 weeks ago. Based on the clinical and laboratory presentation of this case, what is your final diagnosis? Why?

Answer 1

According to the clinical features provided the final diagnosis is measles. Because child infected with a type of paramyxovirus experience fever,cough, runny nose , conjunctivitis, and ear infections with maculopapular rash appears 14 days into the illness (CDC) .As measles is airborne the travel history may be also a cause where the child picked the virus.

As the child is just one year he may have lost the immunity he gained from mother and also he has received only a single dose of MMR vaccine .so he was vulnerable for the infection.