Pel-Ebstein fever

Description

• What is the actual eponymous medical sign/syndrome/repair/classification…

History

1885 – Pieter Klazes Pel first described this phenomenon in Berliner klinische Wochenschrift. A 25-year-old paper maker died after a four-month illness, in which five 10-30 day episodes of fever, each with swelling of the spleen, alternated with fever-free intervals of 10-15 days. On autopsy, the spleen weighed 1570g and the mesenteric and retroperitoneal lymph nodes were greatly enlarged. Pel admits that the pseudo-leukemia is a disease that is difficult to define, but attempts to distinguish two forms, depending on whether the spleen or the lymph nodes (Morbus Hodgkin) are most affected. [1885; 22(1): 3-7]

1886 – Pel published two further cases in the Dutch Journal of Medicine (Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde) [1886; 40; 341-358.]

1887 – German internist Wilhelm Ebstein published the case of a woman with periodic fever, without a fatal outcome. He believed it was an infectious disease and not a pseudo-leukemia [24(31): 565-568]. Pel riposted the following month with a detailed description of the two patients mentioned by Ebstein [24(35): 644-646].

Associated Persons

• Pieter Klazes Pel (1852 – 1919)
• Wilhelm Ebstein (1836 – 1912)

Alternative names

• Koorts Pel-Ebstein
• Name

Controversies

• Did they first describe or popularise or plagiarise?

References

• Pel PK. Aus der medicinische Klinik in Amsterdam. Zur symptomatologie der sog. Pseudo-Leukämie. [On the symptomatology of so-called pseudo-leukemia] Berliner klinische Wochenschrift. 1885; 22(1): 3-7.
• Pel PK. Mededeelingen uit de geneeskundige Kliniek: Algemeene ziekten (Vervolg en slot). Malarie-infectie. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 1886; 40; 341-358.
• Ebstein W. Das chronische Rückfallsfieber, eine neue Infektionskrankheit. Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 1887; 24(31): 565-568
• Pel PK. Pseudoleukaemie oder chronisches Rückfallsfieber? Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 1887; 24(35): 644-646
• Ebstein W. Das chronische Rückfallsfieber. Eeine neue Infektionskrankheit. Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 1887; 24(45): 837-842
• Asher R. Making sense. Lancet. 1959; 2(7099): 359-365.