Pure red cell aplasia.

Eleven cases of Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) in children were encountered in our hospital since 1982. The age range was 4 months to 12 years. There was a male preponderance with M:F ratio as 9:2. There were 4 cases due to viral fever, 1 with bronchopneumonia, 2 of tuberculosis, 1 of enteric, 1 of NHL and 2 were of congenital PRCA. Tuberculosis per-se had given rise to PRCA in the two cases, which is not reported earlier though its association with anti-tubercular therapy is well recorded. Cases of infective etiology other than viral responded very well to specific treatment. Steroid was the drug of choice in PRCA with viral etiology.