Case Report
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2009; 15(32): 4067-4069
Published online Aug 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.4067
Parvovirus B19 induced hepatic failure in an adult requiring liver transplantation
Darin S Krygier, Urs P Steinbrecher, Martin Petric, Siegfried R Erb, Stephen W Chung, Charles H Scudamore, Andrzej K Buczkowski, Eric M Yoshida
Darin S Krygier, Urs P Steinbrecher, Siegfried R Erb, Eric M Yoshida, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Martin Petric, British Columbia Center for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4R4, Canada
Stephen W Chung, Charles H Scudamore, Andrzej K Buczkowski, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Author Contributions: All authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Eric M Yoshida, Division of Gastroenterology, Vancouver General Hospital, Diamond Health Care Centre, 5153-2775 Laurel Street Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada. eric.yoshida@vch.ca
Telephone: +1-604-8755371
Fax: +1-604-8755447
Received: April 17, 2009
Revised: July 23, 2009
Accepted: July 30, 2009
Published online: August 28, 2009
Abstract

Parvovirus B19 induced acute hepatitis and hepatic failure have been previously reported, mainly in children. Very few cases of parvovirus induced hepatic failure have been reported in adults and fewer still have required liver transplantation. We report the case of a 55-year-old immunocompetent woman who developed fulminant hepatic failure after acute infection with Parvovirus B19 who subsequently underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. This is believed to be the first reported case in the literature in which an adult patient with fulminant hepatic failure associated with acute parvovirus B19 infection and without hematologic abnormalities has been identified prior to undergoing liver transplantation. This case suggests that Parvovirus B19 induced liver disease can affect adults, can occur in the absence of hematologic abnormalities and can be severe enough to require liver transplantation.

Keywords: Parvovirus B19; Fulminant hepatic failure; Orthotopic liver transplant; Fulminant hepatitis