Agranulocytosis in a patient with acute Parvovirus B19 infection: a case study

• Main Authors: Carlo Di Donato, Monica Vecchi, Vincenzo Ferrari, Giampaolo Papi, Cristina Gozzi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2016-03-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Medicine
• Subjects: Agranulocytosis; Parvovirus B19 infection; neutropenia; immunosuppression.
• Online Access: http://www.italjmed.org/index.php/ijm/article/view/578

The definition of neutropenia is the reduction in the absolute number of neutrophils below 1.5×10⁹. The chapter about acquired neutropenias affecting the adult population is of particular interest to the internist. PC, 75 years old man, was hospitalized because of fever, asthenia. In anamnesis: recent diagnosis of ulcerative pancolitis treated with mesalazine and corticosteroid therapy. During the hospitalization, to the fever resolution, we witnessed to a gradual reduction in the value of neutrophils leucocytes until the complete agranulocytosis. We set a therapy with granulocytes colony stimulating factors, and antifungal. The osteo-medullar biopsy confirmed a pure aplasia of the granulocyte marrow series without any evidence of cancer. The subsequent clinical development was favorable, with stable apyrexia and recovery of leucocytes count. Few days after, we received the positive response on the research of anti-Parvovirus B19 immunoglobulin M and in qualitative polymerase chain reaction. The patient was discharged with diagnosis <em>agranulocytosis in patient with acute infection of Parvovirus B19</em>. Neutropenia associated with Parvovirus infection is not frequent and is related to the presence of hematological diseases or condition of immunosuppression. The peculiarity of the case described is the complete agranulocytosis found: in fact in literature, only rare cases are described. Patient gave his informed consent.