Heegaard E D, Hasle H, Clausen N, Hornsleth A, Kerndrup G B
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Acta Paediatr. 1996 Mar;85(3):299-302. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb14020.x.
It is the purpose of the study to report the frequency of parvovirus in children with a diagnosis of Diamond-Blackfan anaemia and to discuss the possible aetiological role of parvovirus in Diamond-Blackfan anaemia. We found parvovirus DNA in 3 of 11 bone marrow smears. Giant pronormoblasts showed low sensitivity (33%) and poor specificity (75%). The presence of giant pronormoblasts was associated with a very high myeloid:erythroid ratio, and may not be specific for parvovirus infection, but a feature of severely suppressed erythropoiesis. The three parvovirus-positive patients were the only children who experienced a remission, and who are free of medication. The seven surviving parvovirus-negative patients are all currently on steroid treatment.
