Open AccessAtypical cause of prolonged myelosuppression
Author(s) -
Andrew Smyth,
Barry MacDonagh,
Helen Tuite,
Catherine Fleming,
Michael J. O’Dwyer
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr.08.2009.2160
Subject(s) - medicine , mycobacterium chelonae , amikacin , myeloid leukaemia , clarithromycin , meropenem , monocytosis , chemotherapy , empiric therapy , blood culture , pediatrics , oncology , pathology , antibiotics , mycobacterium , tuberculosis , bone marrow , microbiology and biotechnology , alternative medicine , antibiotic resistance , biology , helicobacter pylori
We present the case of a 57-year-old male with poor prognosis (trisomy 21 and monosomy 7) acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) who presented with rigors and fever during cytogenetic remission. Peripheral and central line blood cultures were positive for Mycobacterium chelonae and he commenced empiric treatment with meropenem, amikacin, clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin. It appears that M chelonae infection was responsible for persistent myelosuppression after expected recovery from chemotherapy, which subsequently precluded optimum treatment for AML.