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Transient pancytopenia preceding acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (pre‐ALL) precipitated by parvovirus B19
Author(s) -
Heegaard Erik D.,
Madsen Hans O.,
Schmiegelow Kjeld
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.03021.x
Subject(s) - pancytopenia , parvovirus , medicine , bone marrow aplasia , bone marrow , immunology , acute lymphocytic leukemia , pediatrics , parvoviridae , leukemia , lymphoblastic leukemia , virus
A preleukaemic phase, typified by pancytopenia and bone marrow (BM) hypoplasia, is an uncommon but well‐documented prelude to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (pre‐ALL) in children. Parvovirus B19 (B19) exhibits a marked tropism to human BM and replicates only in erythroid progenitor cells acting as a confounding, but treatable agent in immunocompromised patients. We present the first case of B19‐associated pre‐ALL characterized by severe and recurring transient pancytopenia in a child who developed ALL 5 months later. The advent of B19‐specific IgG at the time of infection and the subsequent disappearance 1·5 years later has not previously been described. In this patient the observed cytopenias were probably the result of B19 acting in concert with the failing BM and B19 is possibly one of several factors capable of triggering the onset of pre‐ALL.