Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae associated with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a splenectomized patient for spherocytosis: A case report

RATIONALE: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome that is characterized by an inappropriate hyperinflammatory immune response – primary, as a consequence of a genetic defect of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes or – secondary, in the progression of infections, rheumatic or autoimmune diseases, malignancies or metabolic diseases. PATIENT CONCERNS: We present the case of a secondary HLH due to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in a splenectomised patient for spherocytosis, a 37-year-old patient who was splenectomised in childhood for spherocytosis, without immuneprophylaxis induced by antipneumococcal vaccine. OUTCOMES: He developed a severe pneumococcal sepsis associated with secondary HLH, with unfavorable outcome and death. LESSONS: To our knowledge, just 2 similar cases had been published in the literature, none in which the secondary HLH was the consequence of an invasive pneumococcal infection in a splenectomized patient for spherocytosis, and the association of splenectomy with HLH is surprizin.