Overwhelming pneumoccoccal sepsis in two patients splenectomised more than ten years previously

Asplenic individuals are known to be at a higher risk of developing serious and occasionally fatal sepsis. Prophylactic measures are generally recommended for the first few years post-splenectomy. We report two cases of severe Pneumococcal Sepsis occurring more than 10 years post-splenectomy leading to prolonged hospitalisation and long term morbidity and suggest that Prophylactic Penicillin should be taken life-long.