Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to dengue in pediatric patient: case report

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61708/q49sgq39

Keywords:

Lymphohistiocytosis Hemophagocytic, dengue, paediatrics

Abstract

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and potentially fatal condition characterized by exaggerated  activation  of  the  immune  system.  It  can  be  seen  in  the  context  of  several  conditions  such  as  infections,  autoimmune  diseases  or  cancer.  Diagnosis  requires  the  clinical  context  and  compliance  with  the  criteria  proposed  by  the  Histiocyte  Society  in  2004.  Its  management  is  based  on  the  use  of  dexamethasone,  cyclosporine  A  and  etoposide.  Here,  we  present  the  case  of  a  2-year-old  male  patient  with persistent fever, signs of shock, and studies compatible with severe dengue who developed secondary HLH as a complication. The objective of this presentation is to describe a rare case in pediatrics, seeking to provide the reader with solid concepts about HLH, its management and complications. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Melissa Rojas Leon, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil. Ecuador

    Médico residente de pediatría. Hospital de niños “Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde” – Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil

  • Angie Vélez-Castro, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil. Guayaquil, Ecuador

    Médico residente de pediatría. Hospital de niños “Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde” – Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil.

  • Evelyn Estefanía Ordóñez Gonzalez, Hospital de niños “Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde”

    Médico tratante de pediatría. Hospital de niños “Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde”

References

1. Raza M, Ali S. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH): a rare complication of dengue hemorrhagic fever. Cureus [Internet]. 2024 Oct 5 [cited 2025 Feb 2];16(10):e70895. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39497882

2. See KC. Dengue-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a narrative review of its identification and treatment. Pathog [Internet]. 2024 Apr 1 [cited 2025 Apr 6];13(4). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38668287/ https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13040332 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13040332

3. Chinnici A, Beneforti L, Pegoraro F, Trambusti I, Tondo A, Favre C, et al. Approaching hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1234567. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210041

4. Chamba V, Borja A. Linfohistiocitosis hemofagocítica (HLH) en pediatría; nuevas opciones terapéuticas. Ecuador J Med. 2021;2(1):67. doi:10.46721/tejom-vol2issEsp-2022-56-67 https://doi.org/10.46721/tejom-vol2issEsp-2022-56-67 DOI: https://doi.org/10.46721/tejom-vol2issEsp-2022-56-67

5. Valero NJ, Polanco Peláez LG, Sacan Arriola MJ. Linfohistiocitosis hemofagocítica asociada al dengue grave. Enferm Invest. 2021;6(4):65-75. doi:10.31243/ei.uta.v6i4.1207.2021 https://doi.org/10.31243/ei.uta.v6i4.1207.2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31243/ei.uta.v6i4.1207.2021

6. Ramamoorthy L, Sivakumar N, Murugesan L, Kumar A. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to dengue fever in a pediatric patient: a case report. Cureus [Internet]. 2024 Apr 27 [cited 2025 Feb 2];16(4):e000000. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38803771/

7. Papazachariou A, Ioannou P. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis triggered by herpes simplex virus 1 and 2: a narrative review. Hematol Rep [Internet]. 2024 Jul 26 [cited 2025 Feb 2];16(3):487-503. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39189243 https://doi.org/10.3390/hematolrep16030047 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/hematolrep16030047

8. Sztajnbok F, Fonseca AR, Campos LR, Lino K, Rodrigues MCF, Silva RM, et al. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and macrophage activation syndrome: two rare sides of the same devastating coin. Adv Rheumatol. 2024 Dec 1;64(1):123456. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42358-024-00370-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42358-024-00370-2

9. ahman HA, Aljabry AO. Paediatric haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: clinical presentation and outcome of 20 patients at a single institution. Sudan J Paediatr [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2025 Feb 2];23(2):199-213. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38380413 https://doi.org/10.24911/SJP.106-1659160002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24911/SJP.106-1659160002

10. Ponnatt TS, Lilley CM, Mirza KM. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2022 Apr 1;146(4):507-19. https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2020-0802-RA DOI: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2020-0802-RA

11. Canna SW, Marsh RA. Pediatric hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2025 Feb 2]. Available from: http://ashpublications.org/blood/article-pdf/135/16/1332/1724141/bloodbld2019000936c.pdf https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2019000936 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2019000936

12. Bhattacharya D, Angurana SK, Nallasamy K, Iyer R, Jayashree M. Severe dengue and associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in PICU. Indian J Pediatr. 2019;86(12):1094-8. doi:10.1007/s12098-019-03040-0 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-019-03040-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-019-03040-0

13. La Rosée P, Horne AC, Hines M, Greenwood TVB, Machowicz R, Berliner N, et al. Recommendations for the management of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults. Blood [Internet]. 2019 Jun 6 [cited 2025 Feb 2];133(23):2465-77. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30992265/ https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2018894618 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2018894618

14. Wan Fariza Wan Jamaludin, Petrick Periyasamy, Wan Rahiza Wan Mat, S. Fadilah Abdul Wahid, Dengue infection associated hemophagocytic syndrome: Therapeutic interventions and outcome, Journal of Clinical Virology, Volume 69, 2015, Pages 91-95, ISSN 1386-6532, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2015.06.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2015.06.004

Downloads

Published

2025-09-17

Issue

Section

Case report

How to Cite

1.
Rojas Leon M, Vélez-Castro A, Ordóñez Gonzalez EE. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to dengue in pediatric patient: case report. Gac Med JBG [Internet]. 2025 Sep. 17 [cited 2026 Mar. 5];3(2):1-6. Available from: https://gacetamedicajbgmedec.biteca.online/index.php/GMJBG/article/view/60