Abstract

We present a case of a 40-year old male who presented with complaints of generalized weakness, lethargy, breathlessness on exertion, easy fatigability for a 2-month duration. He also had the history of mild bleeding from gums and nose since 2 days ago and had pallor on general physical examination. The peripheral smear revealed pancytopenia with several microfilariae in the buffy coat. Bone marrow aspiration showed hypocellular marrow with microfilariasis and increase in mature plasma cells. The patient was starting on diethylcarbamazine. However, his bone marrow aspirate done 2 weeks later showed hypocellular marrow with no parasites and biopsy showed picture that was suggestive of aplastic anemia. He was later referred to higher center for further investigation and management. Pancytopenia as a presenting feature of filariasis is rare, but a few case reports have been published. Yet a causal relationship of filariasis and pancytopenia, hypoplasia or aplasia of bone marrow has not been determined. It has also not been proved that a treatment of filariasis has led to a reversal of bone marrow hypoplasia or aplasia.

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