Hemolysis caused by CMV infection in a pregnant woman with silent elliptocytosis.
Elliptocytosis is reported to occur in at least 1 per 5000 individuals, but most cases are heterozygous and do not show clinical hemolysis. Healthy individuals with silent elliptocytosis, however, may suddenly have an episode of hemolysis [1]. Here we report a woman in the third trimester of pregnancy who suffered from cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with hemolysis. Scanning electron microscopy showed that half of her red blood cells were oval, and protein analysis revealed a 50% reduction of protein 4.1. We discuss the role of CMV infection and pregnancy in the onset of hemolysis in a patient with otherwise silent elliptocytosis.
Horiguchi-Yamada
J
J
4th Department of Internal Medicine, Aoto Hospital, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Fujikawa
T
T
Ideguchi
H
H
Iwase
S
S
Yamazaki
Y
Y
Yamada
H
H
D000328:Adult; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D004612:Elliptocytosis, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious