Transfusion induced Graft versus host disease - Case report in a 2 year child

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a rare, almost always fatal complication of a blood transfusion. It occurs much more commonly after bone marrow transplantation, a setting in which it is less severe-mortality rate of 20-25% following transplantation versus 80-90% when associated with a transfusion. Transfusion associated GVHD occurs in two settings: when the recipient is immunodeficient; and when there is a specific type of partial HLA matching between the donor and recipient. Here we present a case of transfusion associated GVHD which developed when a 2 year old immunocompetent girl was given whole blood which was taken by his father. Inspite of very intense therapy with parental steroids and oral cyclosporine the child succumbed to death.