Parvovirus B19 transmitted by bone marrow.
We describe a case of symptomatic parvovirus B19 infection transmitted by bone marrow (BM). The infection caused prolonged anaemia, thrombocytopenia, arthralgia and erythema infectiosum in a 16-year-old girl with acute myeloid leukaemia receiving a BM transplant (BMT). The BM donor was a 19-year-old asymptomatic brother who had parvovirus B19 viraemia at the time of BM harvest. Sequencing of the VP2 gene from the patient and the donor showed a perfect match of DNA sequences, confirming the mode of transmission. Parvovirus B19 represents a potential complicating factor in patients undergoing BMT, but screening by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of donor BM may reduce the risk of infection.
Heegaard
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Departments of Clinical Microbiology and Pathology, University State Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. e.heegaard@immi.ku.dk
Laub Petersen
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B
D000293:Adolescent; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016731:Erythema Infectiosum / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral