infectious diseases
Epidemic Pleurodynia
Diagnosis of Epidemic Pleurodynia
History and physical examination Diagnosis of epidemic pleurodynia may be obvious in a child who has unexplained severe pleuritic or abdominal pain during an epidemic. However, in other situations, symptoms may be hard to distinguish from those due to other conditions that cause chest or abdominal pain. Laboratory diagnosis is not routinely necessary; it consists of detecting the virus in a throat or stool sample or, less commonly, demonstrating seroconversion. Serum creatine kinase is usually elevated because of muscle necrosis. The white cell count ranges from mild leukopenia to mild leukocytosis. 