[Sepsis-like disease in an immunocompromised patient with a travel history to Mallorca]

Internist (Berl). 2007 Jul;48(7):727-30. doi: 10.1007/s00108-007-1872-3.
[Article in German]

Abstract

In immunosuppressed patients, a high rate of complications due to opportunistic infection is known. We report the case of a 36 year old patient with ulcerative colitis and a septic complication with ongoing pancytopenia. Due to colonic perforation, colectomy had to be performed. Despite this intervention, the septic constellation persisted. The pancytopenia in peripheral blood counts also persisted with the necessity of repetitive transfusions. A bone marrow biopsy showed an infiltration with Leishmania bodies in macrophages. Tissue culture allowed for typing of the parasites as belonging to the L. donovani/infantum complex, DNA sequencing confirmed infection with L. infantum. This infection must have been contracted during a vacation on Mallorca about 1.5 years earlier. Administration of liposomal amphotericin B cured the patient. Surprisingly, histological examination of the resected colon reveiled the presence of an immunoblastic B-cell lymphoma. In this case, immunosuppression was a prerequisite for the manifestation of leishmaniosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Azathioprine / adverse effects
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Biopsy
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Colectomy
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / drug therapy
  • Colon / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Comorbidity
  • Desoxycorticosterone / adverse effects
  • Desoxycorticosterone / therapeutic use
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / chemically induced
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / complications*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Leishmania infantum*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / diagnosis*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / diagnosis*
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / pathology
  • Male
  • Pancytopenia / etiology*
  • Sepsis / etiology*
  • Spain
  • Travel*

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Desoxycorticosterone
  • Azathioprine