{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T16:11:04Z","timestamp":1789143064093,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]],"date-time":"2026-03-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774483200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Pediatric lung abscess is an uncommon but potentially serious complication of pneumonia. Limited data exists on its clinical features, diagnostic workup, and outcomes in otherwise healthy children.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To describe the clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of children diagnosed and treated for lung abscess in Jordan.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of 23 pediatric patients diagnosed with and managed for lung abscess in Jordan. Data collected included demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, treatment regimens, and outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The mean age was 7.2 years (SD 3.1), with 60.9% male and no underlying chronic diseases in any patient. Systemic symptoms such as fever (91%) and hypoactivity (91%) were common. Cough was reported in 87% of cases, with varying patterns (dry, wet, or both). Imaging confirmed that 56.5% of abscesses were located in the left lung and 43.5% in the right lung. TB was systematically excluded using PPD and PCR testing. All patients received initial broad-spectrum antibiotics; 87% required escalation to include piperacillin\u2013tazobactam combined with aminoglycoside (either amikacin or gentamicin). The mean duration of antibiotic use was 4.8 weeks. Only one patient (4.3%) underwent surgical intervention, and two patients (8.7%) required ICU care. Follow-up imaging 1\u20132 weeks after completion of therapy showed full resolution in 91% of cases.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Pediatric lung abscess in otherwise healthy children presents with significant systemic and respiratory symptoms but responds well to prolonged, escalated antibiotic therapy. Conservative management is effective in the majority of cases, with excellent clinical and radiological outcomes and low surgical intervention rates.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0345174","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]],"date-time":"2026-03-26T17:24:36Z","timestamp":1774545876000},"page":"e0345174","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Clinical presentation and management outcomes of pediatric lung abscess: A retrospective cohort study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4832-5149","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lina","family":"Alshadfan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-3243-9007","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Saleh","family":"Abualhaj","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muna","family":"Kilani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hisham","family":"Hamdan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diana","family":"AlSaify","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Samia Saber","family":"Abu Taleb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-4309-2661","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mohammed K.","family":"Al-raqad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0345174.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1515\/jccm-2017-0023","article-title":"Lung Abscess Remains a Life-Threatening Condition in Pediatrics - A Case Report","volume":"3","author":"IR Chirte\u015f","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Crit Care Med (Targu Mures)"},{"key":"pone.0345174.ref002","volume-title":"Lung Abscess","author":"BR Sabbula","year":"2025"},{"issue":"24","key":"pone.0345174.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7790","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13247790","article-title":"Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach in Pediatric 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Bhimji","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medscape"},{"key":"pone.0345174.ref026","article-title":"Ceftazidime-resistance in pediatric melioidosis: A case report and literature review","volume":"39","author":"TL-L Sia","year":"2025","journal-title":"IDCases"},{"key":"pone.0345174.ref027","article-title":"Risk factors associated with length of hospital stay and medical expenses in pulmonary abscess patients: retrospective study","volume":"11","author":"T Zhu","year":"2023","journal-title":"PeerJ"},{"key":"pone.0345174.ref028","first-page":"197","article-title":"Respiratory tract and pleura","author":"TC King","year":"2016","journal-title":"Elsevier\u2019s Integr Pathol"}],"container-title":["PLOS 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