Plasmodium vivax causing pancytopenia after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation in CML

A 20-year-old male patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), in chronic phase, underwent allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation in August 1996. Engraftment was well documented in the marrow on day 19, but pancytopenia and mild splenomegaly continued. On day +70, the patient developed severe anemia and had one pyrexial episode. He was detected to have malaria (Plasmodiium vivax). After chloroquin therapy, the pancytopenia reversed completely. We suggest that malaria should be considered as a possible cause of pancytopenia in the post-transplant period in endemic areas.