Remission of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia After Smallpox Vaccination

To the Editor.—  I would like to record a case to confirm the observations of Hansen and Libnoch in the Archives (138:1137-1138, 1978) that smallpox vaccination may be followed by remission of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In the patient described herein, the vaccination did not result in any unusual immediate local or generalized vaccinia reaction. The remission was not as complete as in the patient described by Hansen and Libnoch, and relapse is now occurring.

Report of a Case.—  A 56-year-old woman was diagnosed as having CLL in July 1970, at which time her CBC count showed the following: hemoglobin, 12.0 g/dL; WBC count, 16,200/cu mm. Differential cell count showed 27% segmented neutrophils and 72% lymphocytes. Bone marrow examination results showed infiltration with mature lymphocytes to about 25% to 50% of all formed elements. Sections of bone marrow particles contained several large abnormal lymphoid follicles. Physical examination results were normal