Thrombocytopenia and emperipolesis in a patient with hepatitis A infection

Immune thrombocytopenia is a benign, self-limiting disease in children, responding well to treatment and generally associated with viral infections. A 13-year-old girl was admitted to a hospital with the epistaxis and propura after an attack of jaundice 6 weeks before. The diagnosis of hepatitis A virus (HAV)-induced thrombocytopenia was made. Furthermore, erythrophagocytosis by megakaryocytes was demonstrated in the bone marrow of the patient. Although hematologic complications following hepatitis B and C viruses are commonly reported, the association of hepatitis A vir-us and thrombocytopenia has rarely been described.