March 17, 2011 (Thursday) - Parvo Virus


PARVO VIRUS                                       
DOB  27/01/1935  Sex M Pat No 996699
Address   PROBABLY
Specimen No : AW999999T

15/03/2011 09:22  EDTA
  Haemoglobin               6.7    g/dl        (  13.0 to 18.0  )
  White Blood Cells         104.0  10^9/l      (     4 to 11    )
  Platelets                 95    10^9/l       (   150 to 400   )
  Red Blood Cells           1.95  10^12/l      (   4.5 to 6     )
  Haematocrit               0.220 ratio        (   0.4 to 0.50  )
  Mean Cell Volume          110.3 fl           (    80 to 100   )
  Mean Cell Haemoglobin     34.4  pg           (    27 to 32    )
  Mean Cell Haemoglobin Con 31.2  g/dl         (    32 to 36    )
  Neutrophils               4.0   10^9/l       (     2 to 7.5   )
  Lymphocytes               98.0  10^9/l       (   1.5 to 4     )
  Monocytes                 0.0   10^9/l       (   0.2 to 1     )
  Eosinophils               2.0   10^9/l       (  0.02 to 0.5   )
  Basophils                 0.0   10^9/l       (     0 to 0.1   )
  Reticulocyte count        15.8  10^9/l       (    50 to 100   )
  XE FLAG3                  ^Film made by HST                           


Here’s an interesting case. An adult with what appears to be an aplastic crisis. The white cell count is something of a red herring – the patient is known to have long-standing chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
The salient feature here is the low haemoglobin and reticulocyte count. Utterly at odds with previous findings, but totally in keeping with the clinical picture. The cause of the anaemia – parvo virus infection.

A search of the internet shows that parvo virus is not an uncommon cause of anaemia in patients with a range of diseases. For myself (who sees all of health care being based around red cells, white cells and platelets) the message is that I need to broaden my horizons…

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