Congenital Aplastic Anemia Caused by Parvovirus B19 Infection

Overview

Human parvovirus B19 causes the fifth disease (erythema infectiosum) in childhood. Intrauterine infection by parvovirus in immunocompromised fetus can lead to the severe congenital aplastic anemia. Here we report the case of 2.5-year-old girl with congenital infection with parvovirus B19. The girl was born as a pre-term baby with hydrops, congenital aplastic anemia, and low level of immunoglobulins IgG and IgM. She depended on the repeated blood transfusion and she did not respond to erythropoietin therapy. The parvovirus B19 infection in bone marrow was detected by polymerase chain reaction and its therapy started with intravenous administration of immunoglobulins. Hemoglobin reached normal level one year later, but low levels of parvovirus B19 were detectable for another 6 months. Immunoglobulin treatment was finished when the virus could not be detected in the circulation. However, one-month later parvovirus B19 DNA was detected again. The two months course of immunoglobulin treatment was repeated, and the DNA analysis of blood cells for parvovirus B19 has been negative since then. Five months after the final withdrawal of the immunoglobulin therapy the girl is in a good shape and all lab tests, except for the decreased levels of IgM, are within the normal range. The PCR monitoring of the presence of parvovirus B19 DNA in blood and bone marrow cells during and after the treatment of congenital aplastic anemia caused by parvovirus B19 chronic infection becomes the necessity for the rational therapy.

Key words:
congenital aplastic anemia, parvovirus B19, immunodeficiency, immunoglobulins