A Case Series on Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Caused by Infections

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a potentially life-threatening syndrome of excessive immune activation that is common in infant and young children, but it can affect any age. It can occur as familial or sporadically. Infection being the most common trigger.Here we discuss three cases of infection triggering HLH,diagnosed and treated as HLH in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital,Chennai. First case is a 53-year-old male with complaints of high-grade intermittent fever with wet cough diagnosed as disseminated tuberculosis with secondary HLH and started on ATT. Second case is a 32-year-old male presented with fever with chills and rigor diagnosed as leptospirosis and Brucellosis with secondary HLH, Diagnosed and treated with antibiotics and steroids. Third case is a 56-year-old male presented with pyrexia of unknown origin diagnosed as burkholderia fever with secondary HLH, diagnosed and treated with antibiotic,steroid and splenic abscess drainage.