aplastic crisis and parvovirus B19

[theTruth_97]

Could someone please explain the mechanism behind parvovirus B19 causing aplastic crisis? I don't understand why it only shows up for some anemias (so far I only saw it mentioned with Beta Thalassemia Major, Hereditary Spherocytosis, and Sickle Cell Disease).

Wouldn't parvovirus B19 infection cause aplastic crisis in all forms of anemia?

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[Transposony]

Parvovirus B19 has tropism (erythrocyte P antigen) for erythroid precursors (normoblasts) leading to apoptosis causing red cell production to cease temporarily resulting in isolated red cell aplasia.
Normal individuals clear parvovirus B19 infections within 1 - 2 weeks. Therefore, the aplasia is transient in normal individuals and clinically unimportant. However, in individuals with hemolytic anemias, a transient cessation of erythropoiesis results in worsening of the anemia, producing an aplastic crisis since their system is already compromised.

 

[theTruth_97]

thanks Transposony!