Reactions 1083 - 7 Jan 2006

SAntineoplastics

Fatal human polyomavirus pneumonia in an elderlypatient: case report

A 69-year-old woman developed fatal human polyomaviruspneumonia after long-term antineoplastic therapy for chroniclymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

The woman had a 20-year history of CLL and had receivednumerous cycles of radiation therapy and antineoplastictherapy [drugs and dosages not stated]. As a result of thistreatment, she was immunocompromised. She had a history ofchronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severalhospitalisations for pneumonia. During her final admission,her lung function worsened progressively despite treatmentwith antibacterials and corticosteroids, and she died 73 daysafter her first admission for pneumonia. Subsequent histologyrevealed an extensive pattern of diffuse alveolar damage withinterstitial pneumonitis. Large intranuclear basophilic viralinclusions were observed and identified as humanpolyomavirus.Galan A, et al. Fatal BK polyoma viral pneumonia associated withimmunosuppression. Human Pathology 36: 1031-1034, No. 9, Sep 2005 -USA 800986786

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Reactions 7 Jan 2006 No. 10830114-9954/10/1083-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved