Incidental association: Acute myeloid leukemia and filariasis - A case report

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the abnormal proliferation of myeloid cells in the bone marrow. Symptoms include fatigue, frequent infections, easy bruising or bleeding, and shortness of breath. Filariasis is a parasitic infection caused by filarial worms (a nematode) transmitted through mosquito bites from infected individuals, leading to chronic lymphatic dysfunction, lymphedema, hydrocele, and elephantiasis. Here, we present the case of a 38-year-old male who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia without maturation (M1) and an incidental finding of microfilariae in a peripheral blood smear. Interestingly, there was no accompanying eosinophilia in this case. This coexistence of filariasis and AML poses diagnostic challenges, as eosinophilia may not be a reliable indicator. Treatment options include Diethylcarbamazine, Ivermectin, Albendazole and Doxycycline for filarial and chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation for AML (M1). The prognosis for the patient is poor.