Fever of unknown origin (FUO) due to Legionnaire's disease

Sigridh Muñoz-Gómez; Burke A Cunha

doi:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2014.09.003

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) due to Legionnaire's disease

Heart Lung. 2015 Jan-Feb;44(1):72-4. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2014.09.003. Epub 2014 Oct 17.

Authors

Sigridh Muñoz-Gómez¹, Burke A Cunha²

Affiliations

¹ Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA; State University of New York, School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
² Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA; State University of New York, School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA. Electronic address: bacunha@winthrop.org.

PMID: 25444558
DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2014.09.003

Abstract

Fevers of unknown origin (FUOs) may be due to any of over 200 different disorders. We present a most unusual case of an FUO in a returning traveler from the Dominican Republic. Work-up for Q fever, Brucellosis, Bartonella, malaria and HIV were negative, but very highly elevated ESRs and ferritin levels suggested possible Legionnaire's disease. This is the third reported case of Legionnaire's disease presenting as an FUO.

Keywords: Atypical pneumonias; Encephalopathy/encephalitis; Extrapulmonary manifestations of Legionnaire's disease; FUOs in travelers; Ferritin levels.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Diagnosis, Differential
Dominican Republic
Ferritins / blood*
Fever of Unknown Origin / diagnosis*
Humans
Legionnaires' Disease / diagnosis*
Male

Substances

Ferritins