Acute hepatitis a induction of precursor b-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia:a causal relationship?

Abstract

Background: Precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia accounts for 2% of all lymphoid neoplasms in the United States and occurs most frequently in childhood, but can also occur in adults with a median age of 39 years. It is more commonly seen in males and in Caucasians. Case Report: We present a case of a 51-year-old Caucasian female with the development of precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia after suffering acute hepatitis A 4 weeks prior to her diagnosis. She presented with malaise for a month without spontaneous bruising/bleeding, infections, or B-symptoms, such as fevers, night sweats, or unintentional weight loss. Conclusion: Nonspecific viral transformation of bone marrow has been discussed in the literature, but we specifically describe hepatitis A-induced adult-onset precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is the first reported case in the literature. © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.