Fulminant liver failure in a child with invasive group A streptococcal infection.

UNLABELLED: Liver involvement is mentioned in streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, but never as fulminant liver failure (FLF). We report the case of a 2-year-old child who developed isolated FLF secondary to invasive group A streptococcal infection without shock due to a M1T1-type strain expressing speA, speB and speC toxin genes. On antibiotics, he recovered rapidly without liver transplantation.

CONCLUSION

A streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin likely constituted the initial insult leading to FLF. This etiology can be included in the differential diagnosis of FLF and would support early introduction of antibiotics.