Corticosteroid responsive prolonged thrombocytopenia in a case of dengue fever

Shailendra Prasad Verma1, Abdoul Hamide, Jyoti Wadhwa

  • 1Division of Clinical Haematology, Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research JIPMER, Pondicherry, India. drspkgmu@rediffmail.com

BMJ Case Reports
|August 28, 2013
PubMed

Thrombocytopenia and bleeding manifestations are consistent features of dengue fever. Usually thrombocytopenia resolves and platelet count normalises by day 10 of fever. Persistent thrombocytopenia is not a feature of dengue fever. Proposed mechanisms behind thrombocytopenia are many. Direct platelet destruction by dengue virus, immune-mediated platelet destruction and even megakaryocytic immune injury have been proposed as underlying mechanisms. We are reporting a case of an old man who presented in dengue season in 2012 with fever and bleeding and was diagnosed as a case of dengue fever. He developed persistent thrombocytopenia requiring treatment on the lines of immune thrombocytopenia and responded to steroids. Other causes of thrombocytopenia were ruled out.

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