Acute intra-familial erythroblastopenia and hereditary spherocytosis: roleof parvovirus B19 infection

Introduction. - Acute parvovirus B19 infection induces a transient inhibiti on of erythroid cell formation, which may induce an erythroblastopenia cris is in patients suffering from chronic hemolytic anemia. Exegesis. - We report here an exceptional observation of acute erythroblast openia crisis with good outcome, occurring at the same time in a mother and her son, both suffering from hereditary spherocytosis. Diagnosis of parvov irus infection is based on detection of serum parvovirus B19-specific immun oglobulin M antibodies in the mother and her son and by the positivity of p arvovirus B19 DNA detected by PCR in serum in the mother. Outcome was good, with the end of the erythroblastopenia crisis obtained 7 to 10 days later, but requiring blood transfusion in the mother. Conclusion. -Our observation is a reminder that the contagiosity of parvovi rus B19 is high in household contacts and that protection of family members should rapidly be considered in hereditary spherocytosis. (C) 2001 Edition s scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.