Vitamin B12 deficiency presenting as pancytopenia with hepatosplenomegaly in an infant

Abstract

Deficiency of vitamin B12 due to nutritional insufficiency is common in developing part of world. Serum vitamin B12 level in infants is determined by the foetal storage during pregnancy. Therefore, evaluation on vitamin B12 level during pregnancy is essential for prevention of vitamin B12 deficiency in infancy. Here we report a vitamin B12 deficient infant who presented with hepatosplenomegaly with pancytopenia including normocytic anaemia and circulating atypical cells. It is also a reminder to clinicians about the uncommon manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency which mimics haematological malignancy.