Severe respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia complicating fludarabine and cyclophosphamide treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
The potential for life-threatening pneumonia due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is recognised among patients with acute leukaemia and recipients of allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation. RSV pneumonia has a high mortality rate in these settings. Less intensively treated patients are not usually considered to be at risk for serious RSV pneumonia. We describe the case of a 62-yr-old patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) treated with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide who developed severe RSV pneumonia and recovered following treatment including intravenous ribavirin.
Field
K
K
Department of Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Slavin
M A
MA
Seymour
J F
JF
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine