title: Sudden death in a toddler with laryngotracheitis caused by human parainfluenza virus-1.
abstract: Laryngotracheitis caused by human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) and not complicated by bacterial superinfection rarely causes sudden unexpected death in infants and toddlers, especially in the absence of stridor and a barking cough. We therefore describe a 15-month-old white male who died suddenly and unexpectedly with clinical and pathological features of laryngotracheitis caused by culture-proven HPIV-1 infection. Given the presence of mucosal inflammation extending into the vocalis muscle of the larynx without associated significant narrowing of the laryngotracheal airway lumen, we propose his death was a result of a laryngospasm, perhaps mediated by immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Office of the Medical Examiner, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Homeyra
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masoumi
authors.forename: Henry F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Krous
mesh_terms: D003645:Death, Sudden; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007826:Laryngismus / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D007827:Laryngitis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014136:Tracheitis / Q000821:virology*