title: Human parvovirus B 19 and Epstein-Barr virus co-infection in a child with hereditary spherocytosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patients with chronic congenital haemolytic disorders, human Parvovirus B19 (HPV B19) is frequently involved in pure red-cell aplastic crises. Furthermore, it may inhibit three-lineage haematopoiesis in the bone marrow, causing severe pancytopenia. In such patients, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection also seems to share the same mechanism as HPV B19 in inducing bone marrow aplasia, but at present the clinical effect of an infection sustained by both viruses is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a 7-year-old boy affected by hereditary spherocytosis (HS) who suffered from transient aplastic crisis, in whom laboratory findings revealed a double HPV B19 and EBV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first report of a case of HPV B19 and EBV co-infection diagnosis in a paediatric patient. Despite underlying HS, no signs of haemolytic anaemia were detected, but the infection only produced transient pancytopenia. Nevertheless, the reason why there was no additive effect of the two viruses on the aplastic crisis is still unclear.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Oncology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. mpia.fly@libero.it
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cefalo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arlotta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maurizi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battista
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mastrangelo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riccardi
mesh_terms: D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D060085:Coinfection; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D013103:Spherocytosis, Hereditary / Q000150:complications*