title: Retrocardiac pneumonia mimicking acute abdomen: a diagnostic challenge.
abstract: We present the case of a child who showed acute abdominal pain and fever due to retrocardiac pneumonia by Streptococcus pneumoniae without respiratory signs and symptoms. Acute abdominal pain is a common presenting symptom of children seen in pediatric emergency rooms. Basilar pneumonia is an uncommonly known cause of pediatric abdominal pain; it may go unrecognized on a patient's initial evaluation. Our case suggests that the clinical manifestations of a retrocardiac pneumonia can be atypical with abdominal pain as the principal complaint, mimicking acute abdomen.
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. di Pediatria, Ospedale di Arzignano, Legnago, Italy. ipezone@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pezone
authors.forename: Mari Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Iezzi
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leone
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*