Agranulocytosis after cocaine use: a case of suspected levamisole contamination in Belgium.

Since 2005 cocaine use has significantly increased in Western urope, especially in recreational settings and among young peole (aged 15–34) [1]. With an average yearly prevalence of 1.3%, it s now the second most-used illicit drug after cannabis. Cocaine has een reported to cause a wide variety of psychiatric problems (e.g. uicidal ideation, addiction, depression, psychosis), cardiovascular e.g. arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, myocarditis) and cererovascular complications (e.g. cerebral infarction, subarachnoid aemorrhage) and rheumatologic syndromes (e.g. Raynaud’s pheomenon, vasculitis) [2]. Moreover, several unexplained cases of granulocytosis have emerged in cocaine abusers in New Mexico, anada and the United States [3,4]. Epidemiologic investigation ndicated that cocaine contaminated with levamisole was the likely ause of the agranulocytosis [5]. We report the first case of agranlocytosis in a patient after cocaine use in Belgium.