Recurrent or unusual infections in children – when to worry about inborn errors of immunity

Reilly, Liam; Emonts, Marieke

doi:10.1177/20499361231162978

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in the frequency of various infections have been observed in clinical practice [ 15 , 24 , 27 ]. In the field of otorhinolaryngology, studies have reported a reduced number of otogenic and sinogenic infections [ 10 , 17 , 19 , 23 ]. Despite the decline in infection cases, recent case reports and clinical studies have identified a worrisome trend of increased severity in sinusitis and otitis media among children, resulting in multiple intracranial complications including extensions of epidural and subdural infections, as well as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 13 , 14 , 18 , 20 , 25 , 26 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The association of COVID-19 pandemic with the increase of sinogenic and otogenic intracranial infections in children: a 10-year retrospective comparative single-center study

Issa,

Kalliri,

Euteneuer

et al. 2024

Neurosurg Rev

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Objective: Otitis media and sinusitis are common childhood infections, typically mild with good outcomes. Recent studies show a rise in intracranial abscess cases in children, raising concerns about a link to COVID-19. This study compares a decade of data on these cases before and after the pandemic. Methods: This retrospective comparative analysis includes pediatric patients diagnosed with otitis media and sinusitis, who later developed intracranial abscesses over the past decade. We collected comprehensive data on the number of cases, patient demographics, symptoms, treatment, and outcomes. Results: Between January 2013 and July 2023, our center identified 10 pediatric patients (median age 11.1years, range 2.2–18.0 years, 60% male) with intracranial abscesses from otitis media and sinusitis. Of these, 7 cases (70%, median age 9.7 years, range 2.2–18.0 years) occurred since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the remaining 3 cases (30%, median age 13.3 years, range 9.9–16.7 years) were treated before the pandemic. No significant differences were found in otolaryngological associations, surgical interventions, preoperative symptoms, lab findings, or postoperative antibiotics between the two groups. All patients showed positive long-term recovery. Conclusion: This study reveals 5-fold increase of pediatric otogenic and sinogenic intracranial abscess cases in the last three-years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While further investigation is needed, these findings raise important questions about potential connections between the pandemic and the severity of otitis media and sinusitis complications in children. Understanding these associations can improve pediatric healthcare management during infectious disease outbreaks.

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