How a Kandivli resident survived 1000-day-long fever

Strap: Case finds mention in noted medical journal Mumbai: A 1000-day-long fever has led Karan Jhaveri, a 26-year-old Kandivli resident, to find mention in the latest edition of Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology

Strap: Case finds mention in noted medical journal

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Mumbai: A 1000-day-long fever has led Karan Jhaveri, a 26-year-old Kandivli resident, to find mention in the latest edition of Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology.

When Karan first had the fever in September 2018, the family consulted local doctors who treated him symptomatically. It became a cause for concern when his temperature rose significantly to swing between 104-105 degrees Celsius. “It was accompanied by shivers that lasted for one to two hours. After that he looked normal,” recalled Shalini Jhaveri, his mother.

A few months before the cycle of fever started, Karan was diagnosed with diabetes. Several rounds of visits to multiple doctors failed to solve the mystery of the persistent ailment.

“He was also hospitalised with high CRP levels and showed signs of acute inflammation. Doctors considered that one of the medications for diabetes may have triggered it and he was put on insulin for a while. There was respite for a few days but the fever returned. Some doctors also thought he had tuberculosis (TB), following which he had to undergo therapy as he had lost five kilos,” she said.

The family finally approached Dr Tanu Singhal, infectious diseases expert, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, in March 2021. Doctors at the hospital tracked his travel history, which was restricted to Surat and Ahmedabad from Mumbai.

“He had a fever and his CT scan report showed a mass in the spleen -- a fist-sized organ in the upper left side of the abdomen that produces antibodies to protect the body against infection. We did an extensive investigation into his case and eventually stopped the anti-TB therapy. Since biopsy was not possible and there was no other way to understand the infection of the spleen, we decided to remove it,” said Dr Singhal.

On further investigation of the operated spleen, it was found that he had melioidosis -- an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Burkholderia Pseudomallei, which is found in contaminated soil and water. It spreads among humans and animals through direct contact with the contaminated source. While it is predominantly a disease of tropical climates like Southeast Asia and northern Australia, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Singhal said it is seen in western coastal and southern India.

Dr Rajendra Sonawane, the general surgeon who operated on Karan said the team tried its best to preserve the spleen. “We do not remove the spleen unless it is the source of complications. There was a long-standing infection in his case. All remedies including treatment for TB had failed. Hence, we had to remove it. He can lead a normal life by taking flu shots that will boost his immunity,” he said.