Case 210.

Parvovirus B19-induced aplastic crisis in congenital spherocytosis (18 y-o F)

		Bone marrow aspiration in case of hereditary spherocytosis, showing high fever and generalized malaise (her sister and mother manifested aplastic crisis due to parvovirus B19 infection 4 and 2 weeks earlier, respectively)

		Key words :	parvovirus B19, hereditary spherocytosis, aplastic crisis, erythema infectiosum

Eosinophilic intranulcear inclusions are noted in the erythroblasts (HE). Patients with congenital hemolytic anemia such as hereditary spherocytosis and sickle cell anemia are susceptible to acute parvovirus B19 infection (erythema infectiosum) to cause transient bone marrow suppression (aplastic crisis).		Immunostaining using a monoclonal antibody to parvovirus B19 antigen demonstrates distinct nuclear reactivity in the infected erythroblasts. Familial outbreak of aplastic crisis by this virus in congenital hemolytic anemia is as important as hydrops fetalis in pregnancy (refer to case 219).