The Molecular Prevalence of Viral Infections in Transplant Candidates with Bone Marrow Suppression, Shiraz, Southern Iran, 2010

BACKGROUND Transient bone marrow suppression, characterized by acute inability of the bone marrow to produce circulating blood cells, may strongly relate to the pathogenesis of some viral infections. OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence of some DNA and RNA viruses in patients with transient bone marrow suppression. METHODS EDTA-treated blood samples were collected from 27 patients with clinically- and laboratory-confirmed transient bone marrow suppression. The genomic DNA of hepatitis B virus, adenovirus, polyomavirus BK, and parvovirus B19, and genomic RNA of hepatitis C and G viruses were extracted and amplified by sensitive and specific in-house simple and nested PCR and RT-PCR protocols, respectively. The risk factors that might be related to the studied viral infections were analyzed. RESULTS Hepatitis B virus infection was diagnosed in 9 (33%) of 27 patients; adenovirus infection in 2 (7%); and parvovirus B19 infection in 7 (26%) of 27 patients. The genomic DNA of polyomovirus BK was not detected in any patients. Both hepatitis C and G viruses were found in 3 (11%) of 27 patients. CONCLUSION Diagnosis of the high prevalence of hepatitis B virus, and parvovirus B19 in patients with transient bone marrow suppression, reflects the importance of these viral infections in introducing bone marrow suppression. This hypothesis should be confirmed in further studies.