Abstract
A 19-month-old girl developed haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis following a measles vaccination. She developed persistent high fever 1 week after vaccination, and then showed pancytopenia, liver dysfunction and hepatosplenomegaly with marked haemophagocytosis. Based on the clinical and laboratory findings, she was diagnosed as having haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis probably due to measles vaccination. She did not respond fully to first-line immunosuppressive therapy and required immunochemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs. Conclusion: to the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed report of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocyosis associated with measles vaccination documented in the English literature. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocyosis should be kept in mind as one of the rare adverse effects of vaccination.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Electronic Publication
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Otagiri, T., Mitsui, T., Kawakami, T. et al. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis following measles vaccination. Eur J Pediatr 161, 494–496 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-002-1027-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-002-1027-4