J. Biomedical Science and Engineering, 2014, 7, 1067-1074
Published Online December 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/jbise
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jbise.2014.714104
How to cite this paper: Mocanu, M., Bădescu, M., Ciocoiu, M. and Bădulescu, O. (2014) Aspects of Viral Involvement in
Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura. J. Biomedical Science and Engineering, 7, 1067-1074.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jbise.2014.714104
Aspects of Viral Involvement in Chronic
Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Mădălina Mocanu, Magda Bădescu, Manuela Ciocoiu, Oana Bădulescu
Department of Pathophysiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania
Email: magda.badescu@gmail.com
Received 26 September 2014; accepted 11 November 2014; accepted 26 November 2014
Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract
The immune chronic thrombocytopenic purpura is an illness characterized by peripheral throm-
bocytopenia occurred through a mechanism of early hyper destruction of blood platelets or by de-
ficient platelet synthesis in the medulla. The chronic immune purpura can be primary, autoim-
mune in nature, thrombocytopenic idiopathic or secondary in the context of other associated pa-
thologies. The idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (P.T.I.) is an immune-mediated acquired
disorder. It is characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia, defined as platelet count assessment
from peripheral blood smear of less than 100.000/mm³, in the absence of a different cause of
thrombocytopenia. The secondary immune isolated thrombocytopenia occurs in the context of
some associated pathologies. The aim of the study is to highlight the involvement of some infec-
tious agents in the etiopathogenesis of the secondary immune thrombocytopenic purpura. The
immune thrombocytopenia can be subordinated to some chronic infections such as infection with
virus B or C, infection with virus HIV, infection with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) or the Helicobacter
Phylori infection. The study was conducted on a group of 40 patients, distributed into two groups:
the first group of patients is the asymptomatic patients who do their common tests while the other
group of patients is with bleeding symptoms: Petequiae, bruising, epistaxis, gum bleedings. The
studied group puts into evidence a thrombocytopenia with a mean platelet count of 60.20 ± 19.75
× 10
3
/μL. 80% of patients had positive anti-platelet antibodies. Out of these, 20% carry infections
with virus B and C while 30% carry Cytometalovirus infection (CMV). The study found one case of
HIV infection. Thus we highlight the involvement of infectious agents in the etipathogenesis of
secondary immune thrombocytopenic purpura as well as the way they affect the platelet function.
Keywords
Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Anti-Platelet Antibodies, Infections Agents, Viruses B, C, HIV, CMV
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