Severe thrombocytopenia associated with acute hepatitis E

Laboratoire de Virologie, Fédération Hospitalière de Bactériologie-Virologie Clinique, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Timone, 264 rue Saint-Pierre 13385, Marseille cedex 05, France; CNRS UMR 6020, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université de la Méditerranée (Aix-Marseille-II), 27 boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France; Laboratoire de Biologie Médicale, Centre Hospitalier d'Aubagne, 179 avenue des soeurs Gastine, 13677 Aubagne Cedex, France; Service d'Hépato-Gastro-Entérologie, Centre Hospitalier d'Aubagne, 179 avenue des soeurs Gastine, 13677 Aubagne Cedex, France

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: philippe.colson{at}ap-hm.fr.

	Abstract

We describe, to our knowledge, the third case of severe thrombocytopenia associated with acute autochthonous hepatitis E in a 72 year-old French woman. It seems likely that cause of thrombocytopenia was acute hepatitis E, possibly through an immune mechanism. No complication was noted, contrasting with the two previous reports.