Parvovirus B19-induced pure red cell aplasia in a liver transplant recipient

Abstract

Parvovirus B19 infection is known to cause chronic anemia in immunocompromised hosts ; including organ transplant recipients. We report the first case of liver transplant recipient with parvovirus B19-induced pure red cell aplasia in Korea. A 57-yr-old female patient with hepatocellular carcinoma due to hepatitis C virus received a liver transplantation. Two months later ; anemia developed and she received periodic red blood cell transfusions. However ; chronic anemia persisted and bone marrow examination was performed 8 months after transplantation. Bone marrow aspiration smears showed markedly reduced erythroid precursors with atypical giant pronormoblasts and nuclear remnants with viral inclusions ; and characteristic lantern cells were observed in biopsy sections. In addition ; parvovirus B19 DNA PCR was positive. She was diagnosed as parvovirus B19-induced pure red cell aplasia and her anemia was improved following intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.