[Acute transitory intrafamilial erythroblastopenia and hereditary spherocytosis: role of parvovirus B19].

INTRODUCTION

Acute parvovirus B19 infection induces a transient inhibition of erythroid cell formation, which may induce an erythroblastopenia crisis in patients suffering from chronic hemolytic anemia.

EXEGESIS

We report here an exceptional observation of acute erythroblastopenia crisis with good outcome, occurring at the same time in a mother and her son, both suffering from hereditary spherocytosis. Diagnosis of parvovirus infection is based on detection of serum parvovirus B19-specific immunoglobulin M antibodies in the mother and her son and by the positivity of parvovirus B19 DNA detected by PCR in serum in the mother. Outcome was good, with the end of the erythroblastopenia crisis obtained 7 to 10 days later, but requiring blood transfusion in the mother.

CONCLUSION

Our observation is a reminder that the contagiosity of parvovirus B19 is high in household contacts and that protection of family members should rapidly be considered in hereditary spherocytosis.