Benign acute childhood myositis – a case report
Dorota Szałowska-Woźniak
Numerous disease entities may present with myalgia, involving just one muscle group or many muscles (polymyalgia, polymyositis). Apart from trauma, myalgia may be caused by infectious agents, including viruses, Gram-positive, Gramnegative, anaerobic or atypical bacteria, fungi or parasites. Individual history and laboratory findings are crucial for the diagnosis. Once diagnosed, myalgia is treated with proper medication, rehabilitation and/or other methods. We report a case of a 4-year-old female patient hospitalised due to lower extremity pain and impaired gait, with a prodrome of sore throat, rhinitis, cough and pustular rash. Laboratory findings facilitated the diagnosis of a mixed, viral-bacterial aetiology, with tailored treatment promptly initiated, resulting with the patient’s quick recovery. This study highlights the need for a comprehensive diagnostic workup in cases of childhood myalgia to identify the aetiologic agent, allowing to introduce targeted therapy, and thus facilitate speedy recovery.