Detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae in the bone marrow of two patients with unexplained chronic anaemia.
Anaemia of chronic disease (ACD) is a common finding involving iron deficiency and signs of inflammation. Here, we report on two patients with ACD where a persistent infection with Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) pneumoniae (CP) was detected in bone marrow (BM) biopsies. Infection was suspected by routine cytology and confirmed by immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) including different primer sets and laboratories and sequencing of the PCR product. This is a first report of chlamydial presence in the BM of anaemic patients. The cases are presented because persistent chlamydial infection may contribute more frequently to chronic refractory anaemia than previously suspected.
Nebe
C Thomas
CT
Central Laboratory, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany. thomas.nebe@ikc.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
Rother
Marion
M
Brechtel
Ingrid
I
Costina
Victor
V
Neumaier
Michael
M
Zentgraf
Hanswalter
H
Böcker
Ulrich
U
Meyer
Thomas F
TF
Szczepek
Agnes J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron
D004269:DNA, Bacterial