title: Dose-by-dose virological and hematological responses to intravenous immunoglobulin in an immunocompromised patient with persistent parvovirus B19 infection.
abstract: A 42-year-old male with stage IV mantle cell lymphoma received chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. He developed pancytopaenia, and bone marrow examination indicated a parvovirus B19 (PVB 19)-induced red cell aplasia, confirmed by virological tests. Multiple doses of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) were given over the following months, with blood samples being taken after each dose for quantitative PVB 19 DNA and hematological testing to assess the response. Each dose of IVIG produced a 1-3 log(10) drop in PVB 19 DNA levels. Eventually, after the fifth dose of IVIG, the PVB 19 DNA was reduced to <10 copies/ml serum, with a gradual improvement in his hematological parameters. This report demonstrates how close monitoring of the virological and hematological response to IVIG therapy for persistent PVB 19 infection in an immunocompromised patient can optimize the usage of this relatively expensive, and sometimes scarce intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Julian W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: June S M
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Stephanie Y N
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Jo L K
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Paul K S
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020522:Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D010198:Pancytopenia; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous