APLASTIC-ANEMIA DUE TO B19 PARVOVIRUS INFECTION IN CADAVERIC RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - AN UNDERESTIMATED INFECTIOUS-DISEASE IN THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED HOST

Parvovirus B19 has been identified as the etiological agent of ''fifth disease'' in childhood, it is also a rarely reported cause of anemia in transplanted patients, During a period of 18 months we observed fou r cases (2 male and 2 female; 53 +/- 4.24 years) of severe aplastic an emia due to parvovirus B19 in kidney transplant patients. The overall incidence of the disease was 6.3% of all our transplanted patients. Sy mptoms of the disease occurred 22.5 +/- 9.75 days post-operatively. Se rum creatinine was 1.5 +/- 0.35 mg/dl. Hb was 6.58 +/- 0.6 g/dl. All p atients recovered with 15 days of high doses of commercial immunoglobu lins. We conclude that B19 parvovirus infection Is probably an underes timated disease in transplant patients. It is a first-period infection , probably donor-transmitted. High dose immunogloblulins are an effect ive but costly therapy.