A rare cause of acute pancreatitis: Hantavirus infection

Hantaviruses cause potentially fatal two different systemic infectious diseases in humans named as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The clinical features of HFRS are hemorrhage, fever, thrombocytopenia and acute renal insufficiency frequently observed. HFRS shows distinctive clinical manifestations throughout from acute influenza- like febrile illness to shock. Although a large portion of HRFS patients present with a complaint of abdominal pain, acute pancreatitis is a rare complication of HFRS. No specific treatment protocol has been described for HRFS and supportive treatment is the basic approach. The rate of success enhanced with early diagnosis and intensive care support. Clinicians should be alert to the HFRS in patients with acute pancreatitis associated with systemic viral infection. We describe a case with HFRS who has presented with acute kidney injury, thrombocytopenia and acute pancreatitis. The patient was treated by supportive management successfully. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2017, 80, 59-61).