Parvovirus B19 Infection in a Child with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia during Maintenance Chemotherapy / 임상소아혈액종양

ABSTRACT

Parvovirus B19 targets human erythroid progenitor cells, causing a self-limiting subclinical erythroid aplasia in the healthy hosts, whereas the immunocompromised subjects generate a prolonged viremia and chronic anemia with or without thrombocytopenia or neutropenia. The attenuated immune response in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), receiving chemotherapy, may generate the hematologic aberration which mimic a leukemia relapse or therapy-induced cytopenia. This mimicry may lead to the unnecessary examination and the recess of chemotherapy. If the anemia with or without thrombocytopenia or neutropenia is noticed during the chemotherapy of ALL, the parvovirus B19 infection should be considered as a cause of hematologic aberration. We report a case of parvovirus B19 infection confirmed by PCR in a child with ALL who was initially sero-negative (IgM and IgG) against parvovirus B19 to highlight the importance of alertness to the possibility of parvovirus B19 infection during chemotherapy.