Severe aplastic anemia associated with seronegative community-acquired hepatitis C virus infection.
Aplastic anemia (AA) is a rare complication of viral hepatitis affecting mainly children or young adults. Most reported cases have been associated with community-acquired non-A, non-B hepatitis, but hepatitis A and B have also been implicated in a few patients. We report on a 43-year-old woman with severe AA, in association with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, diagnosed by detection of HCV RNA by the polymerase chain reaction technique. Her AA was successfully treated with anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporin A. The hepatitis C progressed to chronic disease but, despite a follow-up time of 2 years, the patient still has no detectable anti-HCV antibodies, as evaluated with a second-generation anti-HCV assay.
Gruber
A
A
Division of Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Grillner
L
L
Norder
H
H
Magnius
L
L
Björkholm
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012313:RNA