Red cell aplasia responsive to immunoglobulin therapy as initial manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Abstract

A patient who presented with pure red cell aplasia as the initial manifestation of human immunodeficiency infection is described. The patient had no signs of other autoimmune processes or immunologic or histologic evidence of parvovirus B19 infection, although we detected parvovirus B19 DNA in his serum. This patient had a complete, although temporary, response to a single course of immunoglobulin therapy and is currently responding to a second treatment.