Adult hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis triggered by disseminated tuberculosis and Klebsiella pneumoniaeco-infection in an immunocompetent individual-a diagnostic challenge

Here in we report a diagnostically challenging case of adult hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) triggered by disseminated tuberculosis and Klebsiella pneumoniaeco-infection in an immunocompetent Individual. She was a young female presented with complaints of fever, abdominal pain and jaundice. Her evaluation showed cytopenias, hyperbilirubinemia, transaminitis, and hepatosplenomegaly. She progressed to have multi-organ involvement in the form of myocarditis, pleural effusion. Provisional diagnosis of fever with unknown origin and sepsis with multiple-organ dysfunction was made and evaluated for the same. Rapid clinical deterioration with evaluation for sepsis being normal prompted for considering HLH in the differential diagnoses, bone marrow and other criteria have been met resulting in confirmation of the same. Without prior past or family history of HLH, secondary HLH was suspected and substantial evaluation for possible triggers was made, and concomitantly immune suppression was started with corticosteroids. Disseminated tuberculosis was diagnosed and concomitantly Klebsiella pneumoniaewas isolated from the bronchioalveolar lavage cultures. As there was no significant immune response culmination, intravenous immunoglobulins were added along with the treatment for possible triggers-tuberculosis and Klebsiellasimultaneously. Patient showed significant improvement with this approach. In conclusion management of HLH is different from conventional sepsis and the treatment for each cause of HLH also varies. Furthermore, this case report stresses on the importance for initiating treatment rapidly and tailored approach of management therapy for each case.

Diagnostic delay in a multi-organ tuberculosis immunocompetent patient: a case report.

A 67-year-old immunocompetent male presented with intermittent fever for 3 months associated with urinary incontinence, altered bowel habits and history of loss of appetite and weight. He was treated as having enteric fever at various clinics in the city by different physicians. On evaluation the patient was found to have disseminated tuberculosis with involvement of the lungs, eyes, testes, brain, bone, kidneys, liver, spleen and possibly the gastrointestinal tract. This paper reports a case of disseminated tuberculosis to many organs with significant diagnostic delay more than twelve decades after the discovery of the tuberculosis bacillus by Robert Koch.