Should infants presenting with an apparent life-threatening event undergo evaluation for serious bacterial infections and respiratory pathogens?

J Pediatr. 2014 May;164(5):1231-1233.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.12.027. Epub 2014 Jan 28.

Abstract

We sought to identify which patients with an apparent life-threatening event require infectious evaluation through an analysis of infants aged ≤12 months brought to an emergency department with an apparent life-threatening event. Among the 533 children evaluated, there were no cases of meningitis, 1 case of bacteremia, 17 cases of urinary tract infection, 22 cases of bacterial pneumonia, 22 cases of respiratory syncytial virus, and 2 cases of influenza virus identified in respiratory specimens.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacteremia / complications
  • Bacteremia / diagnosis*
  • Brief, Resolved, Unexplained Event / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Influenza, Human / complications
  • Influenza, Human / diagnosis*
  • Male
  • Meningitis / complications
  • Meningitis / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / complications
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / complications
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Urinary Tract Infections / complications
  • Urinary Tract Infections / diagnosis*