Fatal pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax and skin necrosis caused by IRIS to an Aspergillus flavus infection in a young patient with metamizole associated agranulocytosis.

We report the case of a young female with steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis (UC) who developed a complex systemic infection with Aspergillus flavus. This occurred following a UC relapse while vacationing in the Middle East, leading to extended use of metamizole and subsequent agranulocytosis. On her return to Germany, she was hospitalized for neutropenic sepsis and later transferred to our hospital due to persistent cytopenia and suspected Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Despite initial stabilization with targeted treatment for pulmonary Aspergillus flavus infection, her condition rapidly deteriorated following the onset of an Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS), which manifested as skin necrosis and pneumothorax after the replenishment of neutrophil granulocytes. The patient eventually died from an unmanageable pulmonary hemorrhage. Microscopy of skin necroses showed a massive presence of Aspergillus flavus, but tissue culture remained negative, suggesting effective antifungal treatment yet delayed phagocytosis due to agranulocytosis. This case underscores the need to consider IRIS in immunosuppressed patients who worsen despite aggressive and appropriately targeted treatment, highlighting its potential beyond the commonly recognized context in HIV-positive patients.

[Recurrent Serratia marcescens bacteremia: seek and you shall find]. / Rezidivierende Serratia-marcescens-Bakteriämie: Wer suchet, der findet.

A 79-year-old patient was hospitalized due to recurrent Serratia marcescens bacteremia. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) electrode infection with septic pulmonary emboli and vertebral osteomyelitis were diagnosed. In addition to antibiotic therapy, the ICD system was completely extracted. In patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) and bacteremia that cannot be adequately explained or recurs, regardless of the pathogen involved, a CIED-associated infection always needs to be ruled out.