Fatal primary influenza virus pneumonia in a patient with secondary myelofibrosis during ruxolitinib therapy

Abstract

In recent years, fatal cases of primary influenza virus pneumonia have been rare. A 67-year-old woman with secondary myelofibrosis, who had been diagnosed with polycythemia vera 25 years prior, died of primary influenza virus pneumonia. She was immunocompromised due to the underlying disease and ruxolitinib therapy, but she was not vaccinated against influenza. She might have caught the flu from an infected family member. This case reminds us of the importance of infection control measures such as preventing familial infection during ruxolitinib therapy in severely immunocompromised patients.