Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : April 21, 2026 11:18 AM IST
Image credits by: Shapoor Zadran health update: Former Afghanistan pacer Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, a rare and life-threatening disease
Shapoor Zadran health update: Former Afghanistan pacer Shapoor Zadran is battling for his life after being diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and life-threatening disease. According to the reports, the 38-year-old left-arm pacer is currently admitted to the intensive care unit of a New Delhi hospital, where he has been undergoing treatment since January. HLH, which mainly affects children, is a condition where the body's immune system becomes overactive and starts damaging its own tissues. This excessive immune response can lead to widespread inflammation, organ failure, and, if not treated in time, death.
Speaking to the media about how things turned worse for the cricketer, Shapoor's younger brother, Ghamai Zadran, said that Shapoor's health problems started in October 2025, and he started experiencing severe symptoms. Zadran revealed that doctors in Afghanistan later advised them to shift him to India for better treatment as his condition was getting serious.
"It was a very serious infection. His whole body was full of the infection, including TB (tuberculosis). It also spread to his brain, which was revealed after MRI and CT scan. The doctor said we could drop in for the check-ups frequently. He (Shapoor) was feeling good for about 20 days before he got the infection again. Then we admitted him to the hospital (again)," Ghamai told the media.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare and life-threatening disease in which the immune system becomes severely impaired. The patient diagnosed with this condition usually suffers from hyperinflammation triggered by an overactive immune response, leading to damage to the body's tissues, including the bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes.
In a study, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), explained that this rare disease which is often called HLH, is a severe, life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome which is mainly characterized by excessive immune activation. When left unchecked, the condition can lead to unusual tissue damage, multiorgan failure, and often death. The study has further classified HLH into primary (familial) and secondary (acquired) forms. Primary HLH typically manifests in early childhood and is caused by inherited genetic mutations affecting immune regulation, sometimes in association with syndromes like Chediak-Higashi or Griscelli. Secondary HLH occurs more often in adults and is usually triggered by infections, malignancies, autoimmune diseases, or certain therapies and transplants.
HLH is a serious condition that can be difficult to recognise because its symptoms are often vague and overlap with other illnesses. Patients may have a long-lasting fever, low blood cell counts, an enlarged liver or spleen, and high levels of inflammation markers like ferritin. In some cases, it can also affect the brain, liver function, and breathing.
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