The course of parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy after kidney transplantation

Abstract

Having a tropism for erythroid progenitor cells, parvovirus B19 may cause partial red cell aplasia and thrombocytopenia. Early diagnosis of parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompromised patients is needed for timely antiviral therapy. A high-risk group for parvovirus B19 infection includes patients with blood diseases who receive multiple transfusions of blood components; those who have undergone donor organ transplantation and are long taking immunosuppressive drugs; and pregnant women. These patients require careful virological monitoring for major blood-borne viral infections. This paper describes a clinical case of parvovirus B19 infection in a pregnant woman who has undergone kidney transplantation and is continuously taking immunosuppressive medications. Identification of the cause of severe anemia and timely adequate therapy could lead to the recovery of effective erythropoiesis in the patient.

Keywords

• parvovirus b19
• partial red cell aplasia
• pregnancy
• kidney transplantation