Parvovirus-induced pancytopenia in a child with acquired haemolytic anaemia.

A 14-year-old boy, with acquired haemolytic anaemia secondary to paravalvular leak from a prosthetic aortic valve, presented with severe pancytopenia. Subsequent investigation showed serological evidence of recent parvovirus B19 infection. The patient required transfusion and subsequently improved rapidly, with maintenance of pre-infective haemoglobin levels. To our knowledge this is the first reported case in which infection with parvovirus has caused pancytopenia in an acquired chronic mechanical haemolytic anaemia.