Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects of Haemophilus influenzae Pericarditis in Pediatric Patients

Diseases of the Pericardium

“…Bacterial pericarditis in children became increasingly rare with widespread antibiotic use. However, there continued to be case reports of Hemophilus influenzae type b pericarditis, some of which appeared to be the result of primary bacterial seeding of the pericardium 38,39 . Despite of widespread use of antibiotics, pericarditis also continued to be a well‐described complication of pneumococcal infections 40 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae 41 .…”

Variability of Echocardiographie Findings in Purulent Pericarditis

“…This series, however, excluded patients who were receiving immunosuppressive therapy or had undergone thoracic surgery, recognized predisposing fac tors for the development of purulent pericarditis. Clini cal spectrum, pathophysiology, and management of pu rulent pericarditis have recently been reviewed [2], Re ports of échocardiographie findings are limited and usually describe prominent intrapericardial abnormali ties, including intrapericardial bands [3,4], thickening of the visceral pericardium with 'shaggy' echoes [3,5], and large intrapericardial masses thought to represent puru lent debris [4,6], Within a 3-month interval, 2 cases of subsequently proven purulent pericarditis were studied in our labora tory. One patient had striking échocardiographie abnor malities within the pericardial space, and the other had a…”