title: Recurrent acute suppurative thyroiditis in a child: case report.
abstract: A 23-month-old girl presented with a history of persistent fever and growing left anterior neck mass following an upper respiratory tract infection. Laboratory studies revealed leukocytosis, elevated levels of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, and a mild impairment of thyroid function. Thyroid scan showed a decreased radioactive iodine uptake of the left thyroid gland. Culture of the thyroid aspirate grew the mixed flora, viridans streptococci, Prevotella spp, and Peptostreptococcus magnus. She was discharged after a surgical drainage and a 14-day course of penicillin-G therapy. Unfortunately, she was readmitted for the resembling problems, the fever and progressing left anterior neck mass 3 months later. Culture of thyroid aspirate also grew the viridans streptococci. She recovered after a 14-day course of penicillin-G therapy. A left pyriform sinus fistula was found by barium esophagogram. A selective operation was performed 8 weeks later.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, and National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012008:Recurrence; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013969:Thyroiditis, Suppurative / Q000209:etiology*