Haematologic consequences of viral infections including serum iron status

Twenty-seven children with mumps or chickenpox were taken as a model to evaluate the haematological consequences of viral infections including serum iron status. Blood samples were obtained from all patients at presentation and on the 21st day of the disease. While haemoglobin, haematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume levels were similar in two measurements (P > 0.05), the mean leucocyte, absolute lymphocyte and thrombocyte counts, mean serum iron, serum iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation levels were lower at presentation than on the 21st day of the disease. The serum iron levels were below 30 micrograms/dl in 16 (59.2%) patients at presentation while only 4 (14.8%) had low values on 21st day. Twenty-four (88.9%) patients had an increment in the serum iron binding capacity levels and 2 (7.6%) reached values above the normal range on the 21st day. In 21 (77.8%) patients, the transferrin saturation levels were below the expected ranges at presentation but 26 (96.3%) showed an increment on the 21st day. However, the mean ferritin level was higher at presentation. Therefore, during the evaluation of patients for anaemia, the presence of a recent acute viral infection should be documented so as to avoid unnecessary iron medication.