Abstract
Persistent fever with pancytopenia and hepatomegaly with negative blood cultures and no obvious focus of infection in a child with Down syndrome should arouse a suspicion of leukemia. Bone marrow examination and clot biopsy from one such patient revealed hemophagocytosis and granulomas, with serologic evidence of recent Epstein-Barr virus infection. Bone marrow granulomas are not a feature of Epstein-Barr infection. Later, bone marrow culture and repeat blood culture grew Salmonella typhi. Thus, in a febrile child, when performing a bone marrow aspirate, a clot biopsy and culture for infectious etiology may be helpful, even when leukemia is strongly suspected.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 623-625 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | American Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2001 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Down syndrome
- Granuloma
- Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
- Pancytopenia
- Salmonella typhi
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Hematology
- Oncology