Recurrent severe anaemia: a rare presentation of parvovirus b19 infection

Secondary pure red cell aplasia is usually seen in immunocompromised hosts or patients who have chronic haemolytic anaemia, which is caused by blood transfusion related transmission. The present patient, a 30-year-old immunocompetent female, presented several times with recurrent severe anaemia, over a period of one and half years. Her history, clinical examination and investigations did not reveal any indigenous drug intake, previous blood transfusions, haemolytic disorders, myeloproliferative disorders, pregnancies, autoimmune diseases or thymoma. She was found to have a thalassaemia minor trait, on the basis of which severity and recurrence of anaemia could not be explained, and on further evaluation, she was diagnosed to have acute aplastic crisis caused by Parvovirus B19 induced, acquired pure red cell aplasia. The co- existence of these two haematological disorders in an immunocompetent, non-transfusion dependent individual is rare, which makes our case report unique.