PMID: 8963632Jan 1, 1996Paper

Fatal fat embolism syndrome in a child with undiagnosed hemoglobin S/beta+ thalassemia: a complication of acute parvovirus B19 infection

Pediatric Pathology & Laboratory Medicine : Journal of the Society for Pediatric Pathology, Affiliated with the International Paediatric Pathology Association
K A KolquistM R Denison

Abstract

Anemia, mental status changes, and fatal respiratory failure complicated a febrile illness in a previously healthy 14-year-old black female. At autopsy, widespread fat emboli and bone marrow necrosis were found. Hemoglobin electrophoresis on an antemortem, pretransfusion specimen revealed hemoglobin S/beta+ thalassemia. Acute parvovirus B19 (PV B19) infection was suspected. Postmortem serum and a variety of paraffin-embedded tissues were assayed for PV B19 DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expected PCR product was identified in the serum specimen and in paraffin-embedded sections of bone marrow, kidney, spleen, parathyroid, thyroid, adrenal, and gastrointestinal tract: lung, liver, ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, brain, heart, and pancreas were negative. PV B19 infection is highly contagious and may be rapidly fatal in children with hemoglobinopathies by several mechanisms, including fat embolism. Therefore, there exists the risk of multiple deaths within a family. The acute infection may be easily and expeditiously diagnosed using serum or a variety of paraffin-embedded tissues.

Citations

Feb 8, 2008·Der Pathologe·T RüdigerA Marx
Apr 3, 2012·British Journal of Haematology·Lori StylesUNKNOWN Sickle Cell Disease Clinical Research Network (SCDCRN)
Mar 1, 2012·American Journal of Hematology·Jill AdamskiMarisa B Marques
Oct 4, 2003·Blood·Kim Smith-WhitleyKwaku Ohene-Frempong

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