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Italian Journal of Pediatrics
Published in: Italian Journal of Pediatrics 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Case report

Fatal varicella pneumonia in an unvaccinated child with Down Syndrome: a case report

Authors: Diletta Valentini, Simona Bianchi, Chiara Di Camillo, Anna Chiara Vittucci, Michaela Veronika Gonfiantini, Rita De Vito, Alberto Villani

Published in: Italian Journal of Pediatrics | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Varicella is an acute infectious disease common during childhood. It has mostly an uncomplicated course in early childhood. Neverthless, it may result in severe complications, especially in particular age groups and clinical conditions. Down Syndrome represents a risk factor for developing complications, because of the frequent comorbidities and their immunodeficiency.

Case presentation

A 2-year-old white Caucasian female affected by Down Syndrome was referred to our hospital for cardiac arrest in course of varicella disease. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation and stabilization, her clinical conditions didn’t improve and she developed a massive pulmonary hemorrage, which led her to exitus.

Conclusions

Mortality due to varicella infection is rare, but it is more common in subjects with immune deficit or chronic pathologies, and in particular age-groups. The importance of the vaccine for preventable infectious diseases is stressed in this paper, in which we present a case of death in an unvaccinated cardiopathic child with Down Syndrome affected by varicella.
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Metadata
Title
Fatal varicella pneumonia in an unvaccinated child with Down Syndrome: a case report
Authors
Diletta Valentini
Simona Bianchi
Chiara Di Camillo
Anna Chiara Vittucci
Michaela Veronika Gonfiantini
Rita De Vito
Alberto Villani
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Italian Journal of Pediatrics / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1824-7288
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-016-0312-1

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