Fatal diphtheria myocarditis in a 3-year-old girl-related to late availability and administration of antitoxin?
Van Damme, Karlijn Peeters, Natasja Jorens, Philippe G Boiy, Tine Deplancke, Marjan Audiens, Hilde Wojciechowski, Marek De Dooy, Jozef Te Wierik, Margreet Vlieghe, Erika
Van Damme, Karlijn
Peeters, Natasja
Jorens, Philippe G
Boiy, Tine
Deplancke, Marjan
Audiens, Hilde
Wojciechowski, Marek
De Dooy, Jozef
Te Wierik, Margreet
Vlieghe, Erika
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Open Access
Type
Article
Language
en
Date
2017-09-29
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Title
Fatal diphtheria myocarditis in a 3-year-old girl-related to late availability and administration of antitoxin?
Translated Title
Published in
Paediatr. Int. Child Health 2018 ; 38(4):286-9
Abstract
Sporadic cases of diphtheria are very rare throughout Europe. A 3-year-old incompletely vaccinated girl was admitted with pharyngotonsillitis caused by diphtheria. On day 9 of her illness, renal and cardiac failure with a third-degree AV-block occurred. Unfortunately, she died within 36 h of admission to intensive care, despite pacemaker placement, the administration of antibiotics and diphtheria antitoxin. The delayed antitoxin administration 7 days after admission to hospital was related to a lack of availability and knowledge of its availability in Europe and this is likely to have contributed to the unfavourable outcome.