Abstract
In 92 one year old infants the measles vaccine was used as a model of a reproducible mild viral infection. On day O and two days 4 and 21 or 9 and 14 or 9 and 30 post vaccination, hematologic evaluations were perfomed. Fever was present in 71.6% at 8 ± days. Hemoglobin (Hb) fell significantly on day 9 (- 0.3 g/dl, p<0.001) and 14 (- 0.2 g/dl, p<0.05). In 8.7% the drop was ≥ 1.0 g/dl, and in 24.6% ≥ 0.6 g/dl, thus overestimating anemia in 22% of infants. Serum iron and % saturation of transferrin fell markedly on day 4 becoming normal on day 30. Ferritin rose significantly from day 4 to 14. No changes were seen in mean cell volume, TIBC, protoporphyrins, haptoglobin or reticulocytes. Normal subjects of those with C reactive protein ≥ 0.6 mg/dl on day 9, presented with greater alterations of iron measurements. We conclude that a mild viral infection can induce a fall in Hb for at least one week after the fever appears. Other iron measures are modified earlier and persist altered during 3 weeks.
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Olivares, M., Walter, T., Chadud, P. et al. 22. ANEMIA IN A MILD VIRAL INFECTION. Pediatr Res 23, 650 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198806000-00045
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198806000-00045