A Curious Case of Fever and Hyperpigmentation

Megaloblastic anaemia as a cause of pyrexia is a rare entity. Similarly, hyperpigmentation of skin has rarely been reported as the presenting manifestation of folate and/or vitamin B12 deficiency. The author reports the case of a patient who presented with fever and hyperpigmentation and was diagnosed to have megaloblastic anaemia secondary to vitamin B12 and folate deficiency after other infective, inflammatory/autoimmune, endocrine causes of pyrexia and hyperpigmentation were excluded by appropriate investigations. The patient responded remarkably well to the treatment with vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation. Although presentation of megaloblastic anaemia as isolated fever or hyperpigmentation are noted in literature, simultaneous fever and hyperpigmentation as its initial presentation is exceedingly rare.