Purulent Pericarditis Caused by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in an Immunocompetent Child: Is Pericardiocentesis a Must? A Case Report.

This case describes a 13-year-old female immunocompetent child who presented with a high-grade fever, with no evident foci of infection, and was not responding to antipyretics. Chest x-ray and echocardiography showed a moderate amount of pericardial and pleural effusion with rising inflammatory markers. Initially treated for acute viral pericarditis, the patient's condition worsened, and a CT scan revealed purulent pericardial effusion and phlegmon. A targeted antibiotic treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa led to significant improvement within 3 weeks, avoiding the need for a pericardiocentesis procedure. To our knowledge this incident is the first documented case within this age group.