Transient Erythroblastopenia of Childhood

Basics

Description

An acquired, self-limited suppression of red cell production in an otherwise healthy child

Epidemiology

  • Mean age at diagnosis is 26 months.
  • <10% are >3 years of age at diagnosis.
  • Slight male predominance (male/female 5.1:3.1)
  • No seasonal predominance

Risk Factors

Genetics

  • There is no simple genetic pattern.
  • Familial transient erythroblastopenia of childhood has been reported (rarely), suggesting a combination of environmental factors and genetic propensity.

General Prevention

There is no known way to prevent transient erythroblastopenia of childhood.

Etiology

  • Unknown
  • Possible viral causes include parvovirus B19 and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), but this remains hypothetical.
  • A serum inhibitor, such as an IgG directed at the committed erythroid stem cell progenitor, has also been proposed but not yet proven.

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