Toxic Streptococcal Infection in Children: Report on Two Cases with Uncharacteristic Course of Scarlet Fever.

introductionScarlet fever is usually a mild childhood disease caused by type A

aimThis paper provides a discussion of two pediatric cases in order to determine the possibilities of diagnosis, differentiation, and treatment of patients with severe, non-obvious courses of scarlet fever.

methodsThe case reports of two patients hospitalized in a pediatric department due to

resultsThe patients were admitted to the emergency room with symptoms not directly indicative of type A streptococcal infection, which required further diagnosis. Both patients complained of weakness at the time of presentation. They had an elevated temperature, were dehydrated during the course of gastroenteritis, and passed liquid stools without pathological admixtures. Further stages of diagnosis and treatment required hospitalization in the pediatric department. Therapeutic benefit from the implemented treatment was obtained, and the patients were discharged in good general condition with further recommendations.

conclusionsMedical history, which is often very detailed, can be the key to making the final diagnosis and can supplement the data collected on the basis of laboratory tests. Scarlet fever does not always occur with a mild course, and sometimes its course can be quite non-specific and may require a thorough diagnosis.