Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report

Introduction: Acute osteomyelitis is rare in neonates and remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Case report: Female neonate, 25 days old, assessed after presenting with a limp right arm, irritability, and pain from that very day. Spontaneous movements of the right arm were absent, with no...

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Main Authors: Sónia Andrade Santos, Sandra Soares Cardoso, Joana Magalhães, Clara Diogo, Inês Balacó, Cristina Alves, Isabel Andrade
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Publicaciones Permanyer 2025-07-01
Series:Portuguese Journal of Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://pjp.spp.pt/frame_eng.php?id=156
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author Sónia Andrade Santos
Sandra Soares Cardoso
Joana Magalhães
Clara Diogo
Inês Balacó
Cristina Alves
Isabel Andrade
author_facet Sónia Andrade Santos
Sandra Soares Cardoso
Joana Magalhães
Clara Diogo
Inês Balacó
Cristina Alves
Isabel Andrade
author_sort Sónia Andrade Santos
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Acute osteomyelitis is rare in neonates and remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Case report: Female neonate, 25 days old, assessed after presenting with a limp right arm, irritability, and pain from that very day. Spontaneous movements of the right arm were absent, with no signs of inflammation or trauma, no markers of inflammation, and normal arm radiography. She was admitted for monitoring, maintaining pseudoparalysis. On the second day, she presented with fever, positive markers of inflammation and an ultrasound suggesting right humerus osteomyelitis. She was started on cefotaxime and vancomycin. MSSA was isolated in the blood culture. She was transferred to a tertiary hospital due to loss of venous access and hospitalized on flucloxacillin. She completed six weeks of intravenous antibiotics and was discharged after 43 days, having improved. Radiography showed signs of bone remodeling and she was discharged without sequelae, with an Orthopedics follow-up consultation in one year. Discussion: Early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent complications. The authors highlight the importance of diagnostic suspicion, even in neonates with no risk factors.
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issn 2184-4453
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series Portuguese Journal of Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-4c2f74c3f637449ab9c48cb6151382f32025-08-20T03:33:34ZengPublicaciones PermanyerPortuguese Journal of Pediatrics2184-44532025-07-0156310.24875/PJP.23000045Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case reportSónia Andrade Santos0Sandra Soares Cardoso1Joana Magalhães2Clara Diogo3Inês Balacó4Cristina Alves5Isabel Andrade6Pediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalPediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalPediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalPediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalPediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalPediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalPediatric Department, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, Viseu, PortugalIntroduction: Acute osteomyelitis is rare in neonates and remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Case report: Female neonate, 25 days old, assessed after presenting with a limp right arm, irritability, and pain from that very day. Spontaneous movements of the right arm were absent, with no signs of inflammation or trauma, no markers of inflammation, and normal arm radiography. She was admitted for monitoring, maintaining pseudoparalysis. On the second day, she presented with fever, positive markers of inflammation and an ultrasound suggesting right humerus osteomyelitis. She was started on cefotaxime and vancomycin. MSSA was isolated in the blood culture. She was transferred to a tertiary hospital due to loss of venous access and hospitalized on flucloxacillin. She completed six weeks of intravenous antibiotics and was discharged after 43 days, having improved. Radiography showed signs of bone remodeling and she was discharged without sequelae, with an Orthopedics follow-up consultation in one year. Discussion: Early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent complications. The authors highlight the importance of diagnostic suspicion, even in neonates with no risk factors. https://pjp.spp.pt/frame_eng.php?id=156Osteomyelitis. Neonate. Staphylococcus aureus.
spellingShingle Sónia Andrade Santos
Sandra Soares Cardoso
Joana Magalhães
Clara Diogo
Inês Balacó
Cristina Alves
Isabel Andrade
Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report
Portuguese Journal of Pediatrics
Osteomyelitis. Neonate. Staphylococcus aureus.
title Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report
title_full Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report
title_fullStr Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report
title_full_unstemmed Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report
title_short Acute osteomyelitis in a neonate: a case report
title_sort acute osteomyelitis in a neonate a case report
topic Osteomyelitis. Neonate. Staphylococcus aureus.
url https://pjp.spp.pt/frame_eng.php?id=156
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AT cristinaalves acuteosteomyelitisinaneonateacasereport
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