Severe Enteritis as the Sole Manifestation of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Adolescent Patients. (29th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gupta, Sandeep; Kaushik, Ashlesha; Kest, Helen; Charles, Alexandra K.; De Bruin, William; Colletti, Mario; Goldberg, David
• Other Names: Bush Larry M. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in infectious diseases. Volume 2020(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-29
• Subjects: Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Case studies -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases; Infectious Disease Medicine; Communicable diseases; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Case studies; Periodicals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1155/2020/8823622
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-6625

Abstract

Abstract : Enteritis as the only manifestation of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adolescents without features of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or a prior history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been described. We report two adolescent patients (a 14-year-old male and a 20-year-old pregnant female) presenting to tertiary-care centers in the United States with severe enteritis as the only manifestation of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The patients were hospitalized with acute abdominal pain and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, with no evidence of MIS-C, and were previously healthy with no history of IBD. The patients' nasopharyngeal swabs were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and testing for other infectious etiologies was negative. Both patients received intravenous corticosteroids and recovered without short-term complications. None of the patients died. This report highlights the need for keeping a high index of suspicion for SARS-CoV-2 infection in adolescents presenting solely with gastrointestinal manifestations, in the absence of respiratory symptoms or multisystem involvement, for prompt recognition and timely management.