TITLE:
A Severe Form of COVID-19 in an Infant with Underlining Undiagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia
AUTHORS:
Elda Skenderi, Admir Sulovari, Gjeorgjina Kuli-Lito, Alberta Shkembi, Mirzana Kapllanaj, Enkeleda Duka, Selma Selimaj
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Children, Immunity, Severe, Acute Myeloid Leukemia
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.10 No.11,
November
9,
2022
ABSTRACT: The new global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the novel coronavirus designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was first identified in December 2019, in an outbreak of respiratory illness of unknown in China. The virus spread rapidly all over the world, and on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Although childhood COVID-19 cases appeared early in the outbreak, the disease burden in children is far less than in adults. The clinical presentation in adults ranges from mild illness to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute cardiac failure, and thromboembolic complications. Children experience critical illness far less than adults with lesser degree of admission to the intensive care unit and mortality. Here is reported the case of an 8-month infant who was admitted for a severe form of COVID-19 and contemporaneously was discovered an underlining, unknown before, myelodysplastic disorder. Concerning a child with severe form of COVID-19, a high index of suspicion should be maintained towards underling diseases which compromise the immune system such as the case of acute myeloid leukemia.