An unusual case of post-renal transplant anemia induced by Parvovirus B19

We report a 43-year-old man, a known case of Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, who underwent a pre-emptive renal transplant with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) induction (3 mg/kg) and triple immunosuppression. Six months after transplant, he developed severe anemia requiring blood transfusions. Bone marrow aspirate revealed maturation arrest of the erythroid series at the stage of proerythroblasts and basophilic erythroblasts, and presence of giant proerythroblasts with viral inclusions. IgM antibodies against Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) were positive. We concluded that this was a case of PVB19 induced anemia. It is an extremely rare disease and should be suspected in the setting of chronic anemia with reticulocytopenia in an immunocompromised host.
Source: Indian Journal of Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Source Type: research