Abstract
During the first three months of life, Group B streptococcus or Agalactiae (GBS) can cause meningitis and be associated with cerebrovascular accidents resulting from sepsis and infection of the central nervous system. This article presents the unusual case of a female infant who was afflicted with GBS, meningitis, sepsis complicated by septic shock, ischemic lesions secondary to inflammatory vasculitis and a cerebral abscess accompanied by epileptic seizures with a hypsarrythmia electroencephalographic pattern. A long-term NICU stay with antibiotic management, inotropic support and antiepileptic treatment succeeded in resolving the acute stage of the illness. Out-patient follow-up revealed increased muscle-tone, but delayed neurological development. While this improved significantly with integral rehabilitative therapy, a slight delay still remained. Neuroimaging follow-up at 18 months found malacia-area and core retractions in the left caudate nucleus.
Highlights
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is considered a group of genetic red blood cell (RBC) disorders
In SCD, the RBC turns into hard and sticky, and the shape is similar to a C-Shaped tool called "SICKLE." Because of the early death of the sickle cells, a constant shortage of red blood cells arises
Because of the typical shape of the sickle cells, their movement in the blood vessel is not as smooth as normal RBC and get stuck and clog the blood flow leading to anemia
Summary
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is considered a group of genetic red blood cell (RBC) disorders. Hemoglobin A (HbA) made up of two Alpha and tow Beta globin peptide chains It is the primary hemoglobin affected in Sickle cell Disease. In SCD, a Sickle cell gene ("S") is inherited from one parent, abnormal hemoglobin called ("C") hemoglobin is inherited from another parent The latter protein is responsible for carrying oxygen to all parts of the body. Sickle cell trait does not have health problems unless they get exposed to extreme conditions like High Altitude regions, dehydration It does decrease the severity of infection by Plasmodium falciparum (Malaria) like Africa and some parts of Southern Asia. About 2 million people with the ancestry of African Americans in the United States carry the sickle gene, homozygous HbS disease patient counts up to 30,000patients [4]. One cohort study suggested that the median age is 23.1 yrs at the time of renal failure in patients with SCD [5]
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