IMPORTANCE OF PARVOVIRUS B19 SCREENING IN RENAL TRANSPLANT PATIENTS WITH SEVERE ANEMIA: CASE REPORT

Abstract

Renal transplant patients frequently present fungal, bacterial and especially viral infections such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr (EB), Polyomavirus (BK), due to immunosuppression induced by drugs to prevent renal graft rejection.
In this article we present the case of a 51-year-old female patient with chronic renal disease of non-filial etiology, renal transplanted from cadaveric donor 3 months ago with low immunological risk, who comes to control with hemoglobin of 6.4 g/dl in addition to headache of several weeks of evolution and poly arthralgia. There was evidence of a gradual drop in hemoglobin in five points since post-transplant with an initial value of 11g/dl. As there was no evidence of active bleeding, bone marrow aplasia secondary to immunosuppression was initially suspected; however, a bone marrow biopsy ruled it out. Initial, tests ruled out HIV and hepatitis C, so due to the persistence of anemia it was decided to investigate less common causes, finding positive viral load for Parvovirus B19 by PCR. The clinical findings, therapeutic management and evolution are described, emphasizing the importance of differential diagnosis and individualized management in transplanted patients.