West Nile virus infection in a teenage boy with acute lymphocytic leukemia in remission

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2005 Dec;27(12):659-62. doi: 10.1097/01.mph.0000188111.04459.6f.

Abstract

West Nile Virus (WNV) infection is an important cause of encephalitis. Although the medical literature contains examples of WNV encephalitis in susceptible, mainly elderly, immunocompromised hosts, few case reports have described pediatric cases. The authors describe an adolescent with acute lymphocytic leukemia and WNV encephalitis. Surveillance studies indicate an increase in WNV activity. Physicians need to be aware of WNV activity in their community and consider WNV as a potential source of infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / therapeutic use
  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain / pathology
  • Ceftazidime / therapeutic use
  • Ceftriaxone / therapeutic use
  • Culicidae
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Encephalitis, Viral / diagnosis
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use
  • Insect Bites and Stings / complications
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Mercaptopurine / administration & dosage
  • North Carolina / ethnology
  • Persistent Vegetative State / etiology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / complications*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy
  • Prednisone / administration & dosage
  • Vancomycin / therapeutic use
  • Vincristine / administration & dosage
  • Virginia
  • West Nile Fever / complications*
  • West Nile Fever / diagnosis
  • West Nile Fever / drug therapy
  • West Nile virus / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • Vincristine
  • Vancomycin
  • Ceftriaxone
  • Ceftazidime
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Prednisone
  • Acyclovir