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Legionella longbeachae pneumonia in a patient splenectomized for hairy-cell leukemia

Legionella longbeachae — Pneumonie nach Splenektomie bei einem Patienten mit Haarzellleukämie

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Summary

A 63-year-old man was admitted to the respiratory intensive care unit for pneumonia. Fifteen years earlier, hairy cell leukemia had been diagnosed and the patient underwent splenectomy. A clinical suspicion of legionellosis, later confirmed by both serology and isolation of the microorganism, prompted initiation of high dose erythromycin intravenously. The patient steadily deteriorated and passed away eight days later. This is the first reported case of hairy cell leukemia in which the diagnosis ofLegionella longbeachae serogroup 1 infection was based on both serology and isolation.

Zusammenfassung

Ein 63jähriger Mann wurde wegen Pneumonie in die Beatmungsstation eingeliefert. Der Patient hatte 15 Jahre vorher eine Splenektomie wegen Haarzelleukämie durchgemacht. Unter der später serologisch und durch Erregerisolation bestätigten Verdachtsdiagnose einer Legionellose wurde sofort mit hohen Dosen Erythromycin i. v. behandelt. Nach fortschreitender Verschlechterung des Zustandes verstarb der Patient acht Tage später. Dies ist der erste publizierte Fall, bei dem eine serologisch und kulturell bestätigte Infektion durchLegionella longbeachae Serogruppe 1 bei einem Patienten mit Haarzelleukämie diagnostiziert wurde.

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Lang, R., Wiler, Z., Manor, J. et al. Legionella longbeachae pneumonia in a patient splenectomized for hairy-cell leukemia. Infection 18, 31–32 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01644179

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01644179

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