A CASE OF MOSQUITO HYPERSENSITIVITY TERMINATING AS MALIGNANT HISTIOCYTOSIS

Abstract

ABSTRACT A patient with a 5 year history of hypersensitivity to mosquitoes developed a skin nodule on the chest, high fever, and hepatosplenomegaly. The diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis was made, based upon histological examination of the skin and cytological study of the pleural effusion. Immunological studies revealed the impaired activity of both T and B cells. After four weeks of no response to chemotherapy, the patient died. Autopsy revealed malignant histiocytes invading the bone marrow, liver, spleen, lung, adrenal glands, lymph nodes and skin. The possible relationship of immunodeficiency to malignant histiocytosis is discussed.