Aplastic anemia and red cell aplasia due to pentachlorophenol.

Repeated exposure to commercial (technical grade) pentachlorophenol (PCP) preceded aplastic anemia in four patients and pure red cell aplasia in two. Two patients developed concomitant or subsequent Hodgkin's disease and acute leukemia. The hematologic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effect of PCP and its chemical contaminants have been documented in other clinical and experimental reports. In view of the widespread contamination of our environment by PCP, clinicians and public health investigators must seek out such exposure in these and related disorders and initiate measures to reduce it.