MJHID Educational Clinical Cases
Vol. 18 No. 1 (2026): Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases

Persistent Fever and Splenic Abscess-like Lesions: A Diagnostic Trap in a Young Adult

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Published: September 1, 2026
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A 31-year-old Malay man presented with fever, weight loss, and non-productive cough. Initial examination revealed splenomegaly without lymphadenopathy. He was treated empirically for respiratory tract infection and subsequent suspected melioidosis splenic abscesses with prolonged, escalating antibiotic courses, but fever persisted.

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Citations

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Ethics Approval

Hodgkin lymphoma; fever of unknown origin; splenic abscess; melioidosis; diagnostic delay; splenomegaly; miliary splenic lesions; pancytopenia; bone marrow trephine biopsy; CD30; tropical infections; Malaysia

Supporting Agencies

The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Siti Nur Atiqah Alwi, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Radiologist, Department of Radiology, Hospital Banting Selangor, Malaysia.

Nor Syazana Jamali, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Hematopathologist, Department of Pathology, Banting Hospital, Banting, Selangor, Malaysia.

Sukanya Banerjee Nair, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Pathologist, Department of Pathology, Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.

How to Cite



“Persistent Fever and Splenic Abscess-like Lesions: A Diagnostic Trap in a Young Adult” (2026) Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 18(1), p. e2026063. doi:10.4084/MJHID.2026.063.