A Fetal Hemolytic Anemia in a Child with Cytomegalovirus Infection

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a hematologic disorder that is rarely observed in infants and young children. Most of the cases are associated with viral or bacterial infections. In some cases, AIHA can be characterized by a chronic course and an unsatisfactory control of hemolysis, thus requiring prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. CASE REPORT: Especially in children younger than 2 years of age, the clinical course of the disease may show either resistance to steroids or dependence on high-dose steroids. We report here an infant fatal autoimmune CONCLUSION: This case suggests that investigation for the presence of CMV infection in infantile AIHA should be considered. Severe hemolysis is rare but could be a potentially life-threatening complication of CMV infection described mostly in immune compromised adults and children.