CASE REPORT

Parvovirus B19 infection associated with unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy, apoptotic sinus histiocytosis, and prolonged fatigue

T Knösel¹, H Meisel², A Borgmann³, T Riebel⁴, V Krenn¹, C Schewe¹ and I Petersen¹

¹ Institute of Pathology, Charité - Campus Mitte, 10098 Berlin, FRG
² Institute of Virology, Charité - Campus Mitte, 10098 Berlin, FRG
³ Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Charité - Campus Virchow, 13125 Berlin, FRG
⁴ Department of Pediatric Radiology, Charité - Campus Virchow, 13125 Berlin, FRG

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr I Petersen
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Charité, Schumannstrasse 20-21, 10098 Berlin, Germany; iver.petersen{at}charite.de

This report describes the case of a 16 year old girl with a history of high fever, prolonged fatigue, and cervical lymphadenopathy of the right side. In addition, the patient showed neutropenia, thrombopenia, and pronounced reticulopenia. Cervical ultrasound showed unilateral hypoechoic lymph nodes up to 23 mm in diameter suspicious for malignant lymphoma. Histology of a cervical lymph node specimen revealed massive nodular histiocytic proliferation and prominent apoptosis without necrosis. Parvovirus B19 was detected by polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry in the lymph node. In summary, this case is an unusual presentation of parvovirus B19 infection. The virus was identified as the potential causative agent of unilateral cervical lymphoma and apoptotic sinus histocytosis, thus broadening the clinicopathological spectrum of parvovirus B19 induced diseases.

Abbreviations: PV, parvovirus; PCR, polymerase chain reaction

Keywords: parvovirus B19; apoptotic sinus histiocytosis; prolonged fatigue

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