A microbial old friend with a new face: A rare case of pyrexia of unknown origin and leukemoid reaction

• Main Authors: Sumeet P Mirgh, Virti D Shah, Jehangir S Sorabjee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of Global Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Cysticercosis; leukemoid reaction; pyrexia of unknown origin; starry-sky
• Online Access: http://www.jgid.org/article.asp?issn=0974-777X;year=2017;volume=9;issue=3;spage=117;epage=119;aulast=Mirgh

We present a case of a young male, who presented to us with high-grade fever for more than four weeks, refractory seizures, multiple subcutaneous palpable lumps, and evidence of leukocytosis with predominant left shift on the peripheral smear. The classic “starry-sky” appearance on imaging, generalized muscular uptake on positron emission tomography-computerized tomography scan, and positive serology led to a diagnosis of disseminated cysticercosis. He responded to oral steroids. To the best of our knowledge, disseminated cysticercosis presenting as pyrexia of unknown origin and with a leukemoid reaction has never been reported in literature.