Unexplained chronic anemia and leukopenia in lung transplant recipients secondary to parvovirus B19 infection

J Heart Lung Transplant. 2008 Jul;27(7):808-11. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2008.03.022. Epub 2008 Jun 2.

Abstract

Parvovirus B19 (PVB) is a non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA virus of the Parvoviridae family pathogenic to humans. Despite numerous case reports of pure red cell aplasia in lung transplant (LT) recipients after PVB infection, the epidemiology remains poorly outlined. Over a 3-year period, 3 of 54 LT patients with unexplained anemia tested positive for circulating PVB by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. All of these patients presented with anemia and leukopenia, with a favorable long-term prognosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anemia / virology*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukopenia / virology*
  • Lung Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Parvoviridae Infections / complications*
  • Parvovirus B19, Human*