Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre,
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh,
India | Department of Hematology, Postgraduate Institute of
Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Devidayal, Department of Pediatrics,
Advanced Pediatrics Center, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and
Research, 160012, Chandigarh, India. Tel.: +91 172 2755657, +91 172 2742017;
Fax: +91 172 2744401, 2745078; E-mail: drdevidayal@indiatimes.com
Abstract: Hemophagocytosis syndrome secondary to visceral leishmaniasis (VL)
is rare. The diagnosis is likely to be missed because of its clinical
presentation similar to VL. Because Leishmaniasis is endemic in many states of
India, primary treating physicians needs to be sensitized about the existence
of this potentially fatal but treatable entity. Further, it is important to
differentiate infection associated reactive hemophagocytosis syndrome (RHS)
from primary hemophagocytosis to avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful
cytotoxic therapy in infection associated hemophagocytosis. In this report, a
young boy who developed accelerated RHS secondary to VL is presented. He
succumbed to acute haematological complications of RHS while undergoing
procedures for establishing the diagnosis of his primary illness.
Keywords: Hemophagocytosis syndrome, visceral leishmaniasis, children
