Transient aplastic crisis triggered by parvovirus B19 in a family with hereditary spherocytosis

Aplastic anemia induced by human parvovirus B19 infection in an immunocompetent adult male without prior hematological disorders: A case report

Introduction and importance

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a human pathogenic virus of clinical relevance. Human parvovirus B19 infection can be asymptomatic or frequently associated with erythema infectiosum, or joint symptoms in healthy adults. Aplastic anemia as a complication of human parvovirus infection is rare in healthy adults without prior hematological disorders.

Case presentation

We report a case of severe aplastic anemia in a 22-years-old immunocompetent adult male without any hematological dysfunction who presented with periumbilical pain, loose watery stools, and fever with chills and rigor. General examination, laboratory investigation, and peripheral blood smear revealed anemia with leucopenia and relative lymphocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and severe neutropenia. Bone marrow biopsy revealed hypocellular bone marrow with maturation arrest at the proerythroblast stage with intranuclear inclusions and no blast and hematopoietic cells replaced by mature adipocytes in marrow spaces. Parvovirus B19 infection was confirmed by viral serology and polymerase chain reaction.

Clinical discussion

Asymptomatic or mild infection occurs most often when B19 affects immunocompetent adults. However, this is the fourth case reporting severe aplastic anemia in immunocompetent adults and the first case reported in immunocompetent adult males. The patient was admitted for close monitoring and supportive management, which effectively improved the patient's clinical condition, and discharged with a strict follow-up schedule in an outpatient setting.

Conclusion

Thus, acute infection with this virus must be considered a cause of acquired aplastic anemia even in individuals without underlying disease.

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Erythema infectiosum, often known as the fifth disease is the most common manifestation in children, whereas, in healthy adults, most cases of infection are asymptomatic or associated with arthritis and myalgia.

•The virus causes infections worldwide that vary in severity depending on the age as well as the immunologic and hematologic status of the host.

•Parvovirus infection should be considered as one of the causes of sudden and severe aplastic anemia even in previously hematologically normal individuals with intact immunity.

•Patients should be treated symptomatically until their hematopoiesis restores, and regular follow-up is critical for detecting chronic anemia or recurrence and treating it promptly.

Acute human parvovirus B19 infection triggers immune-mediated transient bone marrow failure syndrome, extreme direct hyperbilirubinaemia and acute hepatitis in patients with hereditary haemolytic anaemias: multicentre prospective pathophysiological study

A total of 244 patients with hereditary haemolytic anaemias (HHA) were screened for acute symptomatic human parvovirus B19 infection (HPV-B19) in a prospective study. To assess the risks associated with HPV-B19 infection, patients were classified into Group I and Group II according to presence or absence (symptoms, signs and specific serology) of acute HPV-B19 infection respectively. In all, 131 (53·7%) patients had β-thalassaemia, 75 (30·7%) hereditary spherocytosis (HS), 27 (11·1%) sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and 11 (4·5%) glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Of 33 (13·5%) patients who presented with symptomatic HPV-B19 infection, 19 (57·5%) had HS, nine (27·3%) had β-thalassaemia and five (15·2%) had SCA. In Group I, there were significant differences in the mean white blood cell, red blood cell and platelet counts, haemoglobin concentration, total bilirubin (TB), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and serum creatinine (all P < 0·001) compared to Group II. In all, 27 (81·8%) patients had arthropathy and bone marrow failure (BMF); 13 (39·4%) had acute kidney injury (AKI), more in SCA (80%); and 12 (36·4%) patients had hepatitis, more in HS (66·8%). Five (15·2%) patients with HS had BMF, AKI, nervous system involvement and extreme hyperbilirubinaemia (TB range 26·3-84·7 mg/dl). Five (15·2%) patients had haemophagocytic syndrome. Two patients with HS combined with Type-I autoimmune hepatitis presented with transient BMF. Complete recovery or stabilisation was noted at 12 months in every patient except for one patient with SCA who died during the infection. HPV-B19 must be suspected and screened in patients with HHA with typical and atypical presentations with careful follow-up.