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Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to disseminated tuberculosis in a young adult with Crohn's disease

Rattanak Visal Hean, David A Sheffield, Kirsten Herbert and David Brewster
Med J Aust 2023; 219 (8): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.52103
Published online: 16 October 2023

A 25‐year‐old male patient reported four weeks of chills, night sweats, weight loss and dyspnoea following one week in Bali, Indonesia, seven weeks prior. His past medical history included Crohn's disease managed for ten years with infliximab, a monoclonal antibody against tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). In vitro interferon‐γ release assay (IGRA) performed at age 14 years, which was conducted years after he had travelled to Egypt for two months in childhood, was negative.


  • 1 Cabrini Health, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC
  • 3 Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, VIC
  • 4 University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
  • 5 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC


Correspondence: vr.hean@gmail.com


Patient consent: The patient gave written consent for publication.


Acknowledgements: 

We thank Dr Ellen Maxwell, from Melbourne Pathology, for providing the pathology figure.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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