Tuberc Respir Dis.  2001 Sep;51(3):275-280. 10.4046/trd.2001.51.3.275.

A Case of Measles Pneumonia Complicated by Subcutaneous Emphysema and Pneumomediastinum in an 18-year-old Patient

• Park JH
• Lee YJ
• Kang HH
• Kim SJ
• Koh YS
• Lim CM

• KMID: 2160016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2001.51.3.275

Abstract

A 18 year-old man presented with dyspnea and a swelling of the neck. On physical examination, maculopapular rashes were noted on the face and the whole body and crepitus was noted at the thorax and upper arms. His chest X-ray showed bilateral interstitial infiltrates of the lung, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. On serologic examination, measles IgM was positive. Under the diagnosis of measles pneumonia, the patient was treated with oral ribavirin, which resulted in a complete resolution of the pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumonic infiltrate, and subjective symptoms of dyspnea and swelling of the neck in 7 days. Here we report this case with a brief review of the relevant literature.

Keyword

Measles pneumonia; Subcutaneous emphysema; Pneumomediastinum; Ribavirin

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Arm
Diagnosis
Dyspnea
Exanthema
Humans
Immunoglobulin M
Lung
Measles*
Mediastinal Emphysema*
Neck
Physical Examination
Pneumonia*
Ribavirin
Subcutaneous Emphysema*
Thorax
Immunoglobulin M
Ribavirin