Infectious mononucleosis. Death due to agranulocytosis and pneumonia
E. U. Neel
Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is usually considered a benign disease.
Agranulocytosis developed in a young college student 14 days after the
onset of IM. Fulminant staphylococcal pneumonia and bilateral pulmonary
infarcts resulted, and the patient died 4 1/2 hours after admission to a
hospital. Agranulocytosis secondary to IM may be more prevalent than
previously thought. A review of the literature indicated that infection
developed in 57.9% of the patients with IM and extreme neutropenia and
45.4% of the infected patients died.
