Aplastic anemia associated with dengue fever

ABSTRACT

Bone marrow suppression with peripheral blood cytopenias has been reported with various viral infections. Dengue fever is frequently associated with cytopenias particularly thrombocytopenia. This may be due to either bone marrow suppression or due to immunological effect. Bone marrow aplasia however may rarely be seen in patients with dengue fever and needs to be diagnosed early, as these patients have favourable outcome with immunosuppressive therapy. We present a case of a 24 years old male patient with dengue fever who manifested persistent pancytopenia. On bone marrow biopsy, he was diagnosed to have severe aplastic anemia. He was treated with immunosuppressive therapy and steroid with a favourable response.