Intravenous Immunoglobulin Responsive Persistent Thrombocytopenia after Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever

Abstract

Dengue outbreak is common in Indian subcontinent and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Year 2015 has witnessed yet another Dengue epidemic in northern India and the number of cases this year is maximum in a decade. Dengue infection is a viral disease and there are 4 different serotypes DENV1, DENV2, DENV3 and DENV4. This year DENV2 and DENV4 have been isolated from most of the patients. Thrombocytopenia is hallmark of dengue infection and generally recovers within ten days of onset of symptoms. We report a case of dengue haemorrhagic fever in which thrombocytopenia persisted for almost a month and improved after Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration. This is the first case where IVIG has been successfully used for treating persisting thrombocytopenia after dengue infection.

Keywords

• immune thrombocytopenic purpura
• intravenous methylprednisolone
• steroid