Question

A child born on November 25, 2010, was treated at a large hospital in Shenyang for a cold and cough in 2018. Before seeking medical attention, the child had already received 7 days of intravenous treatment (including 3 days of azithromycin, 1 day of ceftriaxone, and 3 days of cefalexin). After consultation, an additional week of intravenous treatment was administered (including erythromycin and cefalexin). Symptoms have appeared to improve. The child’s white blood cell count is elevated (17.9), with a reference range of 3.5 to 9.7, and the absolute neutrophil count is also elevated (15.6), with a reference range of 1.9 to 7.2. How many days does it typically take to cure such a possible bacterial infection?

Answer

The child’s white blood cell count is significantly elevated, and the neutrophils are also elevated, indicating a possible bacterial infection rather than a viral one. The exact cause is not yet clear, but for a common cold, it usually takes about a week to recover after symptoms disappear and blood tests return to normal. If the child has a bacterial infection and blood tests show recovery, and there are no other symptoms such as coughing or runny nose, it can be considered cured. However, if the child has symptoms such as cough due to pneumonia or bronchitis, even if the blood tests are mostly normal, treatment should continue until all symptoms have completely disappeared.