[Acute pancreatitis secondary to typhoid fever in a preschool child].

BACKGROUND

A case of child with acute pancreatitis associated with typhoid fever is reported herein.

METHODS

A four years old child was admitted to the pediatric emergency room with an acute abdomen and fever. He was submitted to a diagnostic laparotomy and mesenteric adenitis was the only finding. During the postoperative period, he persisted with abdominal pain and fever. Laboratory studies and abdominal ultrasonography revealed an acute pancreatitis. Also, Salmonella typhi was isolated from blood and stool cultures. Treatment for pancreatitis included nasogastric catheter and total parenteral nutrition. Typhoid fever was treated with ampicillin. Thereafter, his clinical course was uneventful and he was discharged 13 days after being admitted.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute pancreatitis has been associated with typhoid fever. To the best of our knowledge, this is the youngest patient reported in the literature with this association. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms are reviewed.